Avatar Jedi
by Faldon113
Summary: Anakin isn't what he seems, no matter who you ask. He's not a slave from Tatooine like the Jedi think. However, he also isn't the perfect spy that the Earth military thinks he is. He's just a very confused person trying to decide what he should follow: his orders or his heart.
1. The Beginning of my End

_Prologue_

_The Beginning of my End_

The comm was going off somewhere nearby. Not exactly sure where, but what did it matter? I could hear it clearly and that was all the comm alert cared about. Besides, just because I could hear it didn't mean I had to answer it. If I wanted to I could keep lying here on my bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to make a decision. There wasn't much time left and I still hadn't made my choice. There was nothing like putting a difficult decision off to the last moment, as my commanding officers would often say.

Across the room, R2 beeped a question at me, wondering why I hadn't answered the comm yet. I didn't even try to explain. The droid had become my confidant the last few months but it could only understand so much. As amazing as the little droid was, it couldn't help me make my decision. It wouldn't understand the problem. Of course, it also wouldn't understand why it wouldn't understand.

"Attention," the comm suddenly crackled. My eyes flicked towards it in bored fascination. It shouldn't be able to turn on by itself. "All operatives. Execute order 66." Just as mysteriously as it turned on, the comm died, taking my hope with it. My time was up, leaving me with no decision made. Or rather, no personal decision made, considering the choice was basically just made for me.

Numbly, I rolled off the bed, grabbing my lightsaber as I passed, more out of habit than anything else. It's not like I would be able to take it home with me. R2 beeped another question at me as I stepped out of the room; the beeps becoming frantic as I keyed the door to slide shut behind me before the droid could follow. Taking a moment to glance around the common room, I tried to let the quiet and calm sink into me. This would be the last time I ever saw these rooms and I wanted to remember everything. Considering it was the middle of the night I had expected the room to be still but tonight it almost felt-empty.

Shaking the notion from my mind, I strode to the main door but a flicker of light caught my attention just before I stepped out. After so many years in the apartment I knew every item but this was new. It was a holo-image I had thought I would never see again. With trembling hands I picked it up, letting the memories flood me. So far as holo-images went, this one wasn't very good. It flickered occasionally, obscuring the image, and had an almost purple tinge unlike the usual crisp blue. But my heart still constricted and tears filled my eyes as I read the engraving. I hadn't thought he'd kept it all this time.

Placing the image back on the side table, I raced from the apartment. From the time order 66 was announced to the actual execution of the order was an hour and I would need every one of those seconds to turn things around. Yoda and I had planned on more advanced warning so I needed to start making up for lost time. Thank the Force it was night and most of the Jedi were still asleep. The long halls were almost entirely empty, allowing me to plan as I ran; only occasionally having to dodge around other beings. Order 66 was dependant upon the Jedi being caught unaware. I had to alert the temple without starting a panic. All the plans I'd made with Yoda involved alerting the Counsel and they would initiate the evacuation plans but the General had already lured them away from the temple. That left me with one choice. The clones.

"Cody!" I yelled, skidding to a stop before his door and pounding upon it. "Cody! Open the door, Cody!" I was so intent on rousing the clone that I almost didn't notice when the door slid open and my fist almost made contact with Cody's nose. Contact would have been made if it had not been for his excellent reflexes. Maybe I should slow down just a bit.

"Commander Skywalker?" Cody queried, already sounding professional as though I hadn't just roused him from sleep. For Force's sake, he already had his blaster ready! Does he sleep with it? Well, never mine. I can hardly judge considering I sleep with my lightsaber.

"No interruptions," I ordered shortly, mentally calculating how much time I had left. "In a little less than an hour the temple will come under attack by a force of nearly 13,000 troops and combat droids. They have advanced intelligence on our numbers, supplies, and general defenses, but what they don't know is that we'll be ready for them. Gather your clones and place them at every entrance, especially the secret ones that were marked in our plans. Initiate the evacuation plan for the younglings and apprentices. If you need Jedi aid, wake any you require and inform them that order 77 is being executed. They will understand. While you secure the situation here I'll go find the counsel and bring them back."

Meeting the clone's gaze, I tried to convey how serious this conversation was. "Cody, you can't show mercy. These troops have orders to annihilate the entire Order. They won't stop until every one of us is dead. We can't afford to be lenient." Another Jedi would have argued with me, but not Cody. He simply saluted before spinning on his heels, already reaching for his armor. Knowing he would obey my orders perfectly, I took off down the hall at a run once more. There was still so much to do! We _had_ to be ready for this attack. If we were, the Order would survive to see another day. If we weren't, we would all die. Rather simple way of looking at the situation but that didn't make it any less true.

"Agent Sky," my comm crackled at my belt, making my eyes narrow. They just weren't giving up. "Agent Sky, come in." A group of clones rushed by in the opposite direction, saluting as they passed me by. Cody worked fast. "Agent Sky, please respond." Down another hall I could see some clones gathering together a group of sleepy younglings. At least they would survive, regardless of if the temple fell, and the Order would survive through them. "Damnit, Sky! Answer us! The transport is going to leave you behind and you know we can't leave evidence. Sky, time is running out!"

"Tell me something I don't know," I hissed, dodging around another group of clones. This one had a couple Jedi knights in their group who threw me worried looks. They knew what order 77 meant and were reluctant to believe it was really happening. I tried to give them an encouraging smile as I flew by but it was probably more like a pained grimace. For the first time since I came to the temple, I wasn't sure how things were going to work out. Maybe the plan would work and everything would fine, or maybe it would all blow up in my face. Only time would tell. Time that was rapidly running out.

Finally reaching the hanger, I swerved around the lone Jedi on guard, ignoring his surprised shouts. It wasn't exactly uncommon for me to take a midnight flight but I normally didn't fly in a state of panic. A full moment went by before I could slow my mad dash and actually seek out an appropriate vehicle, settling on a nearby speeder bike. I couldn't do better for speed or maneuverability so I quickly jumped on, kicked over the ignition, and took off.

With buildings and lights flashing by me I had a sense of Deja-vu. The last time I'd been this afraid speeding through the upper traffic of Coruscant was when Obi-wan had decided to hitch a ride on that assassin's drone and I had to save him. Same story this time around except the assassin I was speeding to save him from was-myself.

* * *

_Babble time: Alright, let's get this story rolling. Been a loooooooooooooooooong time since I posted anything on any website so not sure how this is going to work out but…won't know if I don't try, right? Well, the whole story is written, just need to type and edit it all, which shouldn't take to long because a friend's kid is getting a little impatient for me to finish so he can read. Guess right now I just want to get back into writing. I have no beta so please let me know if I made any mistakes, but if you're going to point out what I do wrong could you try to be polite? I'm less inclined to correct myself if you're being disrespectful. And…yeah, I'm out of things to say._

_Thanks for reading! TTFN!_


	2. Avatar Jedi

_Chapter 1_

_Avatar Jedi_

_Our world was dying, and we had no one to blame but ourselves. I see that so clearly now. Humans had destroyed the Earth for greed and no other reason. Five-hundred years before I was born, Earth was embroiled in a catastrophic war. A small faction of scientists, in an attempt to end the war, created what was to become known as the Ultimate Weapon. No one could remember how it worked but when the scientists detonated the weapon an entire island called New Zealand was destroyed. In the face of such a powerful weapon, the war came to an end, but humanity soon realized that they were too late. The weapon was so destructive that it altered the atmosphere. Less and less sunlight made it through the atmosphere, leaving temperatures to plummet. Couple years later the world was locked into an ice age. The human race survived by creating underground cities in the two years it took the surface to freeze, but it was a close thing. By the time the ice age ended, nearly two hundred years later, the human population of Earth was somewhere around a million._

_Being the most stubborn species to ever grace the planet with our foul presence, the human race was able to rebuild. Fear of the Ultimate Weapon was still fresh in the human mind though, so some things were left in disrepair. Basically, anything deemed "too technical", meaning anything more advanced than what could be found in ancient medieval times, was banned. Some exceptions were made, like electricity and running water, but for the most part, all the great advancements of the past were wiped away._

_It didn't help much though. Human nature hadn't changed in the slightest, so it wasn't long before wars began once more. Swords, catapults, and arrows might have been primitive before the Ultimate Weapon but they were still pretty deadly. The mistakes of the past returned, giving rise to cruel monarchies and harsh dictators and every country or kingdom fought its neighbors. Eventually, one kingdom decided to ignore the unspoken rule of not using ancient technology and started restoring things like guns, tanks, and grenades. This kingdom used their tech to conquer their neighbors and eventually spread to control the entire planet. It used fear and superior strength to keep its people in line as it slowly rebuilt the world as it was before the Ultimate Weapon. Power was all that mattered to the ruling family. They didn't care who suffered for them to gain._

_It's painfully obvious now that I'm looking back, but in the moment I was just like everyone else. Taking no responsibility for my actions, blaming others when something in my life went wrong, believing myself to be pure and blameless. I also believed in gaining the most profit while spending the least amount of energy, and I was quite good at it. The one time I did not obey my silent law was when I joined the military. Some thought my decision strange but it was better than the alternative. Eventually the choice proved to be a fruitful one and I came to enjoy the perks that came with being a soldier. However, it was because of the military that everything in my life changed, and not exactly in the way I wanted it to._

* * *

"Sergeant Sky!" The shout rang out across the training grounds, causing every eye to flick towards the flustered major before most returned to their previous activities. One soldier alone snapped to attention, saluting smartly. However, before the soldier could verbally acknowledge the call, the major pointed to the base's conference building. "Report to meeting room 47B on the double, soldier!" the major yelled before stomping away, cursing violently at being treated like a messenger boy. With his back turned, he failed to see the soldier he'd called out roll her eyes while the other soldiers nearby laughed.

"Guess I'll see you later," Sergeant Aria Sky said with a small wave to her sparring partner. At his nod she loped off, not wanting to be caught wasting time. She weaved through the other sparring teams, occasionally dodging wild attacks or flying bodies. The training grounds were a dangerous place for the unwary, sometimes proving to be fatal. It was not a place one willingly lingered.

Only once she was free of the sparring circles did Aria break into a jog, knowing most people would get out of her way. After so many months touring small, backwater military camps she was enjoying the perks of being on a true base. Recognition and respect of her rank just happened to be her favorite. No more yelling at people to move as she tried to get from one end of the base to the other.

Any civilian seeing Aria at that moment would have had a difficult time believing she was a soldier. With her thick blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and lithe figure she was often deemed to pretty to fight. These thoughts normally lasted until Aria physically picked-up the doubter and threw them into or through a wall. She was easily the toughest and most stubborn sergeant in the military, often being reprimanded by her commanding officers but never quite pushing far enough to receive a court martial. Nevertheless, anyone who got to know the fiery soldier could tell she had come from a dark past. There was darkness in her that even the bravest soldier feared. Darkness that even she was afraid of at times.

Hearing the warning rumble, Aria got off the main track and let the ancient truck roll by. She eyed it disdainfully, wondering why humans of old had made such monsters. Why the military continued using the obsolete vehicles was another mystery, although she had to admit that using vehicles was better than walking every where like civilians did. She just didn't like tech that much, and personally thought that it should have been left to decay. Of course, she never said such things out loud. They could be taken as treasonous and she had no desire to be condemned to death for such a little thing as not liking vehicles.

Finally reaching the conference building, Aria ducked inside. The secretary nodded in her direction without looking up from the mountain of paperwork she was going through. There always seemed to be enough paperwork on her desk to start a stationary shop but today the pile was higher than normal, making Aria sneak past so as to not trigger a paper avalanche. Spotting the stairs, the blonde hurried over and started running up. The major hadn't said what the meeting was about or who she was meting, which added a hint of danger. Most humans would understand that it took time for a person to travel from point A to point B but officers were not most humans. They did not like being kept waiting for any reason.

Room 47B was on the very top floor, end of the hall. Pausing just long enough to take a deep breath, Aria entered-only to instantly snap to attention and salute, heart beating out of her chest. "Ah, you must be Sergeant Aria Sky," the General said, seeing her as he looked up from the file he had been reading. "At ease, no need to stand on ceremony on my account." Slowly, Aria slid out of her salute, completely confused. An officer acting like a normal person was not something she was usually confronted with. "There, isn't that better? More relaxed. Why don't you have a seat and we can get down to business." Catching the hidden order, Aria took the offered seat. Her back remained straight and tense as the General resumed reading the file before him. She couldn't be under review already; she'd already passed a review board a month ago. Maybe someone had filed a complaint against her? "An interesting file," the General said, interrupting her thoughts. "According to this report, you became sergeant at the age of sixteen, a most impressive achievement. How did you manage that?"

"Fortunes of war, sir," Area answered tensely, knowing the event was in her file. "I was in the right place at the right time."

"True enough," the General chuckled, thumbing through some of the other pages. "Trained as a combat medic, sharp-shooter, licensed sniper, unarmed combat master, even a certified pilot. Strange, I didn't see any pilot classes on your training record. What happened?"

"The pilot of our chopper was killed in a fire fight," the blonde answered shortly, wondering why the man was asking her these questions. All these events were reported in detail in her file; he should know the answers already. Was he waiting for her to lie? "One of my friends is a pilot so I knew the basics of how to fly from helping him study for tests. I did what I had to do and we survived, which was all that mattered."

"Well said," the General replied, setting the file down and observing her with a critical eye. "Strong, determined, adaptable, and an amazing amount of luck. You're a bit more headstrong and stubborn than I originally wanted but now I think you're exactly what we're looking for." He nodded, more to himself as he was lost in his thoughts. "Yes, you're perfect for this mission."

"I've been temporarily banned from missions, sir," Aria interrupted, wincing inwardly. She'd been a bit-reckless on her last few missions and her superior officers were tired of her nearly dying. "I won't be eligible for any mission for another year."

"Not a problem at all," the General replied flippantly, waving her objections away with a lazy flick of his hand. "This isn't a standard mission. All you'll be doing in infiltration and reconnaissance. Spying, in other words." The blonde's eye twitched; he made it sound so easy. "You see, sergeant, we are trying to exterminate a very powerful race of beings that have been deemed a threat to Earth. To do so we must gather information from the inside on their culture. To that end, we are gathering soldiers with a wide range of skills and slowly planting them in the enemy's population." Pulling a file from his desk, he tossed it to her, waiting patiently as she opened the file and started to skim its contents. After several minutes of silence she closed the file with a snap and looked the General straight in the eyes.

"These Jedi sound difficult to kill and even harder to infiltrate, sir. How is this going to work?" She knew she wasn't going to like his answer when he smiled.

"Simple, sergeant. We are going to make you a Jedi."

* * *

'_Simple' he said. There wasn't anything 'simple' about becoming a Jedi. Turns out that while the Earth was thrown into the ice age by the Ultimate Weapon, there was a science instillation on the moon that was unaffected. The scientists had managed to "survive" by cloning themselves so that as the originals aged and died the clones would simply take over the research. After the ice age ended and the current world kingdom learned of the instillation they had contacted the clones and started working with them once more. The clones still had the most modern technology, including vehicles that could travel to space called shuttles and strange boxed of light they called computers. It was all so strange when I first saw it but the clones and soldiers that the kingdom has stationed at the instillation since its discovery assured me that everything was safe. Of course, then they told me that all this tech belonged to the royal family, eliminating any comfort I might have had._

_At the instillation, the clones explained how they were goin to make me a Jedi. The showed me something called a "movie" about this race of blue creatures and how humans were able to grow bodies that certain humans could control with their minds to look and act like the blue aliens. At least, I think that's what it was about. I spent half of the movie trying to figure out how all the people could fit inside such a tiny box. Point was, the clones had discovered how to replicate the technology in the movie, creating bodies that soldiers could control mentally that would be able to infiltrate the Jedi. The simple version of what they did was that they harvested some of my DNA, infused it with "mini-chlorines" or something like that, and tried to grow a clone. There were complications of course, because nothing could be simple in my life. The clones created hundreds of bodies but only one survived past the third day and somehow mutated into a male because of the "mini-chlorines"._

_Nevertheless, I was assured that the body was perfect. It had a very high "mini-chlorine" count which would ensure the interest of any Jedi who got close enough to sense me. An aging compound was given to the body, aging it to the age of nine, half my current age, before it was shipped to a distant planet called Tatooine with another body that was meant to pose as my body's mother. I remained on the moon with the other Drivers, the humans that controlled the bodies, which I learned were called avatars. Three months went by before my avatar reached the planet and I synced with it for the first time to begin the mission. It was during that first sync that I made my first and biggest mistake. I gave my avatar a name._

* * *

"Anakin?" Startled, the young blonde looked up. At least he was remembering to respond now. "Are you cold?"

"Yes, Master Qui-gon," he answered quietly, obviously trying not to shiver. Despite being buried in a mountain of blankets he could still feel the cold stabbing at him. Space was quickly climbing the list of things he hated. This mission and the General were also climbing higher. Anakin had been on Tatooine for six whole months before the Jedi had found him and _that_ was an accident. Then he'd been brought all the way to Coruscant and the Jedi counsel only to be rejected because he was too old_._ It had made his mission harder, but hadn't exactly endeared him to the Order.

Then there were Jedi like Qui-gon Jinn. They were gentle and kind and-good. Qui-gon had been nothing but helpful and supportive of Anakin since he'd first found the boy but it didn't stop there. The blonde could see how much the older Jedi cared about every creature, human and non. He cared about the people of Naboo, risking his own life to go try and help them. He cared about the slaves on Tatooine, trying to give them better lives. Come on, he even cared about that strange Jar-Jar Binks that Anakin still had trouble believing hadn't died of his own stupidity yet. It was so different from the soldiers and world that Anakin had always known. Qui-gon was peaceful, which seemed to be the way of Jedi as a whole, which begged the question of why the Earth military considered them a great enough threat to try to annihilate them.

Another blanket settled around Anakin's shoulder, startling him out of his thoughts. He looked up into Qui-gon's gentle eyes and tried to smile. "Better?" the Jedi asked, noting the boy tug the blanket closer and tighter. The blonde nodded silently, his thoughts still far away. "Anakin? Please talk to me. I might be a Jedi but I can't read minds." The boy snorted in disbelief but focused fully on the Jedi, which had been Qui-gon's goal. "Honest, Anakin," he said, sitting down beside the small child. "Jedi can sense emotions and make educated guesses of a person's thoughts but we can't actually read their mind. I know you're confused and angry but not why. Talking about your problems will help, I promise." For a long moment Anakin stared up at him, an internal war clearly showing in his eyes. He opened his mouth once but closed it again without a sound and shook his head, burying his face in the blanket mound.

"I can't," he rasped, trying to vanish into the fabric that surrounded him. With a sigh of disappointment, Qui-gon rested a hand on the hidden boy in comfort before getting to his feet and leaving. When the door hissed shut behind the Jedi two blue eyes peeked out of the blankets, swirling with turmoil. He wasn't good at missions like this. Missions that involved planning and emotions were more trouble than they were worth. He preferred missions where all he had to do was react. There was less risk of being hurt.

"You know," Obi-wan suddenly said, startling Anakin and making him jump with a yelp. "You should release those emotions into the Force." Scowling irritably, the blonde burrowed deeper into the blankets, mentally swearing at himself for not noticing the younger Jedi had been in the room. He might have his doubts about killing Qui-gon but the blonde had no regret for Obi-wan's pending death. The padawan practically oozed a superior and "holier-than-though" attitude. Case in point-

"It's not like I know how to do that," he retorted sharply, voice muffled by the blankets. "I'm not a Jedi. I'll never-" his voice caught with unexpected sadness "-never be a Jedi." For a long moment, Obi-wan stood still, watching the blanker entombed boy, before suddenly sitting across from him.

"Releasing emotions isn't just for the Jedi," he said, sounding strangely kind. "Anyone can learn it. I'll teach you if you want." Two bright eyes peered at him from the blankets, clearly debating if he could be trusted or not. The padawan waited patiently, though internally he wondered why he was offering. Teaching others had never truly been his forte and he was pretty far from fond of the young slave. He thought the boy to be brash, spoiled, and reckless. And yet-there was something about the child. Though he couldn't explain why, he felt a responsibility to care for and protect the blonde. Perhaps it was because of his Master's obvious interest in the child, maybe it was because the boy really was the Chosen One. Or maybe, just maybe, it was something beyond what he could truly comprehend. Maybe it was the Force.

Eventually, the blonde crawled out of his blanket fortress, sitting across from Obi-wan with guarded eyes. Knowing he was on thin ice, the padawan smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. "Alright then, do you know how to meditate?" The blonde nodded, clearly skeptical. "Good, this should be easy. Just do exactly as I say."

"I know how to meditate," Anakin interrupted, "but that doesn't mean I'm good at it." Despite his dislike of the younger Jedi, the blonde couldn't resist a smile as the older boy winced.

"Ah, alright then. This might take a little bit longer then I'd thought. We should probably get started." Outside the room, Qui-gon smiled and walked away. He'd been worried about the two boys but now his concerns were soothed. At least if anything happened they would have each other.

* * *

_That was only the first of many things that Obi-wan would teach me, though we didn't know it at the time. Neither of us knew it, but the Force was pulling us together, preparing us for the years ahead. I had never thought the Force would have to much importance in my life, back when I barely believed in it to begin with._

_Almost from the moment we landed on Naboo things started going wrong. So long as I stayed with Qui-gon I was alright but the moment we separated my infamous luck caught up with me and the entire day went to hell in a hand-basket. I'd like to think that if Qui-gon had known that staying in that star fighter cockpit was going to result in my being flown into a space battle and nearly dying a few hundred times, he would have had me get out. Sure, things worked out in the end, but it wasn't exactly the safe place we'd both thought it was._

_But I'd never get the chance to ask him. I was still in space when I suddenly felt like something deep inside me was being ripped out. The pain was so intense I actually checked to see if I was bleeding. It was so strange and scary and I didn't know what had caused it until I had landed. All it took was one glimpse of Obi-wan's tearstained face and I understood. Qui-gon was dead and, somehow, I had felt it. I had lost something. I wasn't aware of my own tears until Obi-wan drew me into his arms and let me sob into his chest. He told me that he was going to train me; that I would be a Jedi even if the counsel disapproved. At that point in time I cared less for his promise and more for the realization that I was showing weakness, crying for a man I barely knew, yet no one was criticizing me for it. In that moment, one of the pillars from my old life crumbled and fell._

_The rubble of that tower would build the second link of the chain that bonded me to Obi-wan and the Jedi._

* * *

"Do I have to wear this?" Anakin complained, tugging at his tunic again. Chuckling, Obi-wan batted his hands aside and straightened the offending garment. He had to admit, the pale beige outfit did look pretty bad on the young boy. It was a little to similar to the slave clothes he'd been wearing to that point.

"Yes, Anakin, you have to wear this," he chided gently. "The counsel accepted you into the Order which means you're a Jedi now, and this is what Jedi wear." The blonde just scowled mutinously. "Tell you what, if you promise to stop fidgeting I promise to ask Master Yoda about alternative clothes or colors. Agreed?" Reluctantly, Anakin nodded. "Good. Now, about the braid." Instantly, Anakin's hands flew up to cover the thing. Obi-wan had to admit, it was pretty ugly and scraggly. Anakin hadn't exactly had long hair before the haircut so what little they could braid was pretty pathetic.

But the Jedi had a plan for that. Only hours ago, his own braid had been cut in the knighthood ceremony. His heart still clenched when he thought about how Master Yoda had been the one to cut the braid and not Qui-gon, but he pushed the pain away as he pulled the severed braid from his belt. Ignoring Anakin's protests, he undid the blonde braid and braided _his _braid in place. "There," he said, giving the braids a tug. "Now you look like a real padawan."

Almost hesitantly, Anakin reached up to stroke his new braid. His hand was shaking slightly with emotions that were shooting through his mind faster than he could keep up with. Then, to Obi-wan's pleasant surprise, the blonde closed his eyes and released his emotions into the Force. When his eyes opened again they were bright and clear.

"Thank you-Master."

* * *

_Later that day we attended the awards ceremony with Queen Amadala and the Gungans. It was the "first" time I officially met Chancellor Palpatine and had a chance to observe him. I knew those laughing eyes the moment I saw them. It was the damn General who had sent me to the Jedi. Unconsciously, I stepped behind Master Obi-wan so that his cloak slightly hid me. For a second I could feel his surprise but he didn't chastise me. In fact, he spread his feet a little, hiding me more while assuming a protective stance. The General noted our interaction and his eyes flashed but it was gone so fast I may have been the only one who noticed. No one knew at the time, but it was at that moment that my heart made its choice._

_Now to see if I chose correctly._

* * *

_Babble time: And I finished this one sooner than I thought I would soooo…might as well post it too, right?_

_Thanks for reading! TTFN!_


	3. Trapped in a Dark Tide

_Chapter Two_

_Trapped in a dark tide_

_The years went by. Four, to be exact. Well, ok, four years, three months one week, and five days if you really want to be exact. Mentally, emotionally, even ideologically, it was very hard on me. I worked with, trained with, and befriended people I would eventually kill. My best friend in either life was a Twi'lek, whose name I can never pronounce so I call him Adam. Every time I'm with him all I can think about is how, in a few years, he'll be dead. Of course, that's considering he survives the war first. The General was letting the war grow, hoping it would weaken the Jedi. It was like a giant chess game and I wasn't sure if I was a pawn or a king. Hell, I wasn't even sure what color I was._

_One of the few things I was happy about was that I could sleep without my mind jumping from one body to another, like in that movie the clones showed me, which shows just how much I had to be happy about. I used sleep to travel back and forth, yes, but it was a conscious choice. I just reported every couple months and then pretended I was a Jedi most of the time. Is it any wonder I was slowly going insane? And then, because I can't possible have a lucky break, life had to throw me a curve ball._

* * *

The room was dark except for one light which flickered every few seconds. It was a pretty rare sight on the science station, to find a malfunctioning light. Even rarer to find a room that was almost entirely empty and silent. All that could be heard was the steady thump of a rubber ball hitting the wall. Thump-thump-thump-thump.

Aria found the sound to be soothing. The counselors had given her the stress ball to help with her anger after she had thrown a guard out of a sixth story window. She found the ball rather pointless unless she was hitting it against something though, and apparently throwing it at people was unacceptable behavior. Of course, she wouldn't need the ball if she could just release her anger into the Force like Master Obi-wan had taught her. However, the General had forbid all Jedi Drivers from practicing any Jedi customs when they were not synced with their avatar. Something about not contaminating the rest of the station's population. The rest of the Drivers didn't have a problem obeying the order, or others that were similar. Aria was the only one to struggle. And apparently the only one to throw a guard out a window and not get in a lot of trouble for it. Really, a stress ball? She'd nearly killed the man and they give her a little rubber ball to squeeze when she got mad? Not the brightest people in the universe.

"Get lost in thought again?" Caelum asked, wheeling into the room. Caelum was an ultimate example of losing everything in life and still coming out better. With his muscled build, bright green eyes, messy red hair, and warm smile he had been a heartthrob that could have done whatever he wanted in life. For some reason, he had chosen the military. He had been a sergeant when he lost his legs in battle. Rather than giving up on life, as many injured soldiers were wont to do, he decided to retrain as a doctor and ultimately became a scientist that was assigned to the moon lab. He was the one in charge of Aria and her Anakin-body, making sure both bodies were doing well and overseeing the sync process to keep the blonde safe. Because of the assignment, the two had been required to spend a substantial amount of time with each other and had become close friends-until now at least.

"I'm short," she snarled, hurling the ball at the wall again. "You idiots didn't tell me that you were going to de-age my original body. Look at me! I'm a midget!"

"But isn't it nice being fourteen constantly instead of going from fourteen to twenty-two and back all the time?" Caelum asked jokingly, laughing and dodging when she threw the ball at him. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It wasn't my choice you know; all the Drivers are being aged or de-aged to match their avatar. But for the record, you make a cute fourteen-year-old." She really did too. Her skin had become pretty pale over the years, not seeing sunlight as much as she used to, but her hair and eyes were almost brighter because of it. Caelum also swore that her eyes were bigger and more puppy like as a young teen but he kept his thoughts to himself. Friend he might be but he didn't want to give her an excuse to throw stuff at him.

Sticking her tongue out at him, Aria turned to face the window she'd been sitting next to. This room was on the topmost floor of the station, on the lunar surface, looking out across the surface of the moon towards the Earth. Most of the humans from Earth were enthralled by the view, even awe-struck, but Aria hated it. The view made space seem vast and cold, even dead, just as the surface of the moon was dead. She knew now that space wasn't like that at all. It was bright and chaotic, filled with life and noise. How could the people of Earth miss it where the Jedi could see it so clearly?

"You need to re-sync with your Jedi body soon," Caelum reminded but he only got a grunt in reply. Sighing, he turned and wheeled out, leaving Aria alone to her thoughts. Silence fell in the room once more, broken only by the steady thump of the ball as it hit the wall. A few minutes later, Aria stood with a sigh. She knew it would actually take some time to make it down to the floor where the sync room was located. The moon lab was far more massive than she'd originally thought when she'd first seen it. The top most floor was the only portion above the lunar surface but there were several stories underneath.

Calling up the map of the lab in her mind, the blonde tried to trace a path that would get her to the sync room as quickly as possible. First floor, where she was, comprised of conference rooms and the large hangar bay. The second floor had the equipment rooms and a few labs where the scientists could review the data brought in by the Drivers. Next floor, the third one, was a maze of training rooms, used for a large variety of training scenarios. Then came the fourth floor which served as living quarters for the scientists. The Drivers technically also had their own quarters but most spent very little time outside their avatar bodies so the rooms remained unoccupied. Fifth floor was medical, capable of doing everything from curing a cold to amputating a limb. The entire sixth floor was a giant dining hall, large enough to accommodate the entire population of the lab. Then there was the seventh and final floor, dubbed the sync room. The room held over three hundred sync ports for the Drivers to occupy but most of the time there was very little activity in the room. The scientists prefered to run their experiments on the second floor and only came to the seventh if a Driver was scheduled to leave sync or if there was an emergency.

Finally choosing her route to the sync room, Aria tucked her stress ball into her pocket and turned to leave. However, something stopped her and she looked again out the window. For a long moment she just stood there, watching, before leaving at last, jogging down the hall to the stairs, trying to put the feeling out of her mind. The Jedi thought that she could sometimes see the future, a thought shared by some of the soldiers she'd served with, but all the blonde knew was that she could sometimes tell when things were going to change. It was like there was a current in the air and she could feel when it shifted. Sometimes the shifts brought warmer air and she knew good changes was coming. But sometimes the shifts were cool, meaning that bad things were in her future.

Just now, the current had turned freezing.

* * *

_My life with the Jedi was slightly easier than my life on the moon, strangely enough. I knew where I stood with them, even if I wasn't always happy about it. Some, like Master Mace Windu, didn't like me. I'd say hate but Jedi don't hate so-yeah. Others, like Adam, welcomed me with open arms. A few, mostly the younglings and apprentices, kept waiting for me to do something spectacular since the Jedi thought I was the Chosen One, whatever that meant._

_And then there was Master Obi-wan. The one Jedi I should have been trying my hardest to stay away from emotionally was the one that had wormed the farthest into my heart. We'd come a long way from my initial opinion of him before Naboo. Now there was no one I cared for more. I still wasn't sure if I resented him for that or not._

* * *

"Anakin, don't forget your boots!" Obi-wan called, getting slight exasperated. This was the fourth time he'd had to call the young teen back inside because he was missing a piece of clothing. "And please, for the love of the Force, tell me you have your coat on."

"Of course I have my coat on," Anakin chirped, skipping back into the room. "And my gloves and my scarf and now my boots. Just as an added bonus, I'll even put on my hat. Now can we go?" All of Obi-wan's exasperation melted away to be replaced with fondness. How could he begrudge the boy this?

"Alright, alright, I'm coming," he chuckled, grabbing his own coat. The blonde whooped in excitement and dashed back out the door, conveniently forgetting his hat. Shaking his head, the older Jedi just grabbed it as he passed. Anakin wasn't usually this forgetful so he could be forgiven this time.

Just as he'd expected, Obi-wan found his young padawan just inside the main door, a look of pure wonder on his face as he stared out the open door. "Aren't you going to go out and explore?" the elder asked, placing the hat on the boy's head and chuckling at the ruffled look it made. They'd have to cut the blonde's hair again soon. "It won't break, I promise." Gulping with sudden nerves, Anakin took a careful step out which resulted in a very loud crunch. Obi-wan burst into laughter as the boy glared at him. "Well it didn't break, did it?" he teased, finding himself way to amused by his padawan's reaction to snow. "Come on, we need to get to the research station. I swear, you aren't going to hurt anything just by walking." Getting a dubious look in return, the elder just rolled his eyes and strode off, hearing Anakin scramble after him a moment later.

They walked in comfortable silence for a while, Anakin staring around him in awe while Obi-wan tried not to laugh. "Is it always so white?" the enthralled blonde asked, carefully reaching out to touch a snow laden branch.

"Not always," the elder admitted, carefully moving around an icy patch. "Sometimes it is contaminated by airborne pollutants, like smoke or ash, which will affect the color. However, pure snow is white."

"It's nice," the blonde said, voice quiet and soft. Obi-wan glanced back just in time to see a look of sadness flash across the padawan's face. "Another thing we've lost." Silently, Obi-wan turned back towards the path, marking the event in his memory. It didn't happen often, but sometimes he wondered just what Anakin was hiding. Maser Qui-gon had mentioned it once, just before the mission on Naboo.

'I don't know how, but Anakin is not what he appears to be,' Qui-gon had said, eyes distant. 'His mind, his spirit, are older and darker than a nine-year-old should be. More bitter.' Then he had looked at Obi-wan, a deep sadness in his eyes. 'The Force is giving Anakin a second chance, Obi-wan. We can't let it go to waste. This might be his last hope.' Those words had never faded from Obi-wan's mind. Anakin didn't slip up often, but it did happen. Little things, insignificant things, but when they all piled up it became clear that there was something the young blonde wasn't telling them. So far, Obi-wan and Master Yoda were the only Jedi to notice the inconsistencies, but neither had seen enough to guess at what the truth could be. For now, they could only watch and try to help wherever the blonde would let them.

With a shake of his head, Anakin shook off the lingering regret and glanced towards his Master. It didn't look like the elder Jedi had noticed the slip, letting the boy breathe a little easier. Mentally, he started berating himself for the comment. He was supposed to be from a dessert planet; how could he have 'lost' snow? In truth he had been thinking of Earth, which was still suffering from the Ultimate Weapon's effects. The chemical composition of the atmosphere was so different from how it had been in the past that the surface of the planet never got cold enough for ice or snow to form. The scientists on the moon said it was a logical event, considering the planet was still trying to balance itself out from the Weapon so we were simply swinging from one extreme to the other. But all that was irrelevant considering he wasn't supposed to be from Earth. He was supposed to be a slave from Tatooine. He didn't normally forget but it did happen on occasion. So far he didn't think any mistakes had been caught but there was no way that would last.

It wasn't like he didn't have other things to focus on anyway. The research station on this planet, Cygnus, had fallen silent a week ago. Natives of the planet had reported Separatist troops and the Council was worried that the station had been attacked. Anakin wasn't so sure about that that because the General hadn't mentioned a pending attack on a research station. He usually kept the blonde up to date about such attacks because he loved to watch the boy struggle to keep silent. Besides, even at fourteen Anakin had a reputation among the Jedi for making plans and finding solutions to problems quickly. The General wanted him to keep that rep.

"Anakin!" Obi-wan called in warning just before the blonde walked into a tree. "Are you alright? Honestly, where is your mind right now?"

"Obviously not here," the younger Jedi grumbled, rubbing his nose but otherwise fine. "Since when is it ever?"

"Well, you better get it because we're here," the elder warned, spotting the station through the trees. He paused long enough to make sure the blonde was following before ducking into the building and disappearing into the gloom. Because of his haste he missed the blonde's longing glance towards the snow covered forest before he entered himself.

It was a good thing Obi-wan hadn't hung around because the moment Anakin set foot in the station his face contorted into a snarl. Something evil was waiting for them, he could feel it. The last time Anakin had felt this kind of danger was back in his original body when she'd been sent to capture an escaped specimen from a lab. The thing had nearly beheaded her and would have succeeded if this feeling hadn't warned her in time for her to duck. Ever since, she'd made a special effort to never ignore this instinct.

"Master?" Anakin called, slowly moving forward. He couldn't pinpoint where the danger was coming from, but it was close. Way to close for comfort. And of course, true to his shitty luck, Master Obi-wan was already deeper within the station. "Damn," the blonde hissed, drawing his lightsaber but not activating it. Of all the times for his Master to become inattentive, why now? "Master Obi-wan? Something's-."

A hand slapped across his mouth, partially covering his scream. The sudden jolt of panic slipped along the training bond, much more noticeable than his early unease, and alerting his Master to the problem. "Anakin?!" Obi-wan called, the blonde's own fear seeping into the elder's voice. "Anakin!" Something pulled at the padawan's mind, wrenching him out of his body and into darkness. "_Anakin!_"

* * *

_I'd been a soldier for year. I'd faced guns, swords, the occasional mutant monster, and being shipped to another galaxy. Fear had become a foreign concept to me. Yet in that one moment, I was afraid. Afraid like I had never been before. Afraid that I would never see Master Obi-wan again._

* * *

With a heart-stopping jolt, Aria's mind slammed back into her body. Before she was even partially cognizant of her surroundings, she was moving, rolling away from the evil she could still sense beside her. Instinctively, she reached for her lightsaber and was only slightly surprised to grab her side arm instead.

"Stop!" a voice suddenly shouted, making Aria freeze. Her muscles remained tense as she finally registered where she was and who was around her. Standing before her was someone she had never seen before. A tall human was reddish skin, closely cropped black hair, more scars then she wanted to count, and all leather clothes. What chilled her blood, though, was his yellow eyes. They glared at her malevolently, like a cat would glare at a mouse that had managed to escape. "Sergeant Sky, release your side arm."

"Hell no, sir," she answered, recognizing the General's voice but refusing to look away from the person before her. "Not until someone tells me what just happened and who the hell this is."

"Watch your tongue," the stranger hissed. Aria nearly stepped back, inwardly gagging at the Darkness that was rolling off of him. No doubt he was the source of the evil she'd sensed on Cygnus. "Or I might just rip it away from you."

"Please, Lord M'ren, calm yourself," the General tried to soothe, finally stepping into view though he remained careful to avoid actually stepping between the two. "Sergeant Sky is a valuable agent and we can't risk-."

"Losing her tongue would not affect the avatar," M'ren interupted, taking a step forward. Aria matched him by taking a step by, tightening the grip around her sidearm. "She walked into a situation she should have avoided and tried to alert a Jedi to my presence. She deserves to be punished."

"I had no choice," Aria retorted, ignoring the General's gesture for her to remain silent. "I was not informed of your presence; I was unaware that you even existed. Yes, I tried to warn my Master, but only because I felt danger that I was not prepared for. If I hadn't tried to warn him, I would have fallen under suspicion of the Order." For several long seconds the two maintained their tense stand-off, both ready to attack at the slightest provocation-until M'ren smiled and leaned back.

"You don't scare easily," he noted, his voice colored with amusement. "It would be a shame to lose someone so-entertaining." His eyes narrowed, even as the smile took a dangerous tinge and grew. "I believe I will continue to watch your growth, Aria Sky. You will either become a powerful ally or a most worthy opponent." With a nod meant more for himself than the others in the room, M'ren turned and stalked out of the room. Only when she could no longer sense him did Aria release her death grip on her sidearm.

"Who was that bastard?" she asked quietly, glaring out into nothing.

"A Sith," the General sighed, making the blonde soldier jump. She'd forgotten he was there. "A real Sith." Despite her best attempts, Aria couldn't feel any disgust from him. Fear, awe, longing, even some jealousy towards the blonde herself was all he was feeling. Was she supposed to be honored the creep was interested in her? "That, Sergeant Sky, is a true Sith, not a cheap imitation Sith like those your Order is so busy hunting down. He is our true Master." With a shake, he came back to himself and barked for some scientists. They poured into the room, apparently having been waiting just outside the lab. Chaos ensued as everyone tried to figure out how M'ren had forced Aria's mind back into her original body. It should have been an impossible act, although Aria was learning never to apply the word impossible to any situation the Force might be used. Which is every situation.

In the middle of the chaos sea was Aria, staring off towards the absent Sith. Even as the scientists chattered around her and she was questioned, she could only frown as one thought continued to circle in her mind. 'He's not _my_ Master.'

* * *

_That was the first time I'd met the Sith. I really wish it had also been my last. The scientists worked quickly to return me to my Anakin body and with every passing second my unease grew. I didn't like being away from Master Obi-wan when I _had_ to so this was extra grating. M'ren had mentioned that I didn't scare easily so what did it mean that my Master was the one being I felt fear _for_?_

* * *

"Anakin? Anakin, wake up. Anakin, please wake up! Anakin!" Groaning, Anakin managed to open his eyes. For a moment he was able to see Master Obi-wan's worried face hovering over him but then the pain hit and his eye's slid shut again. "No, no, stay with my Anakin. Don't go back to sleep."

"Hurts," the blonde rasped, trying not to gasp as pain lanced through him. Even as he fought the pain, his soldier training was kicking in. Half his mind was trying to identify his wounds while the other half struggled to sense his surroundings.

"I know it hurts," Obi-wan soothed, gently stroking his boy's hair. He kept his gaze firmly away from the blonde's mangled leg. "I've already contacted the village and their sending a healer. As soon as the healer arrives we'll get you back to the ship and return to the temple so Master Bant can heal you." Anakin nodded faintly, a pained grimace seemingly carved on to his face. "Anakin, can you tell me what happened?" The blonde's breathing had already degraded to the point that he was panting so Obi-wan wasn't expecting an answer but he received a nod anyway.

"Felt darkness," Anakin panted, forcing his mind to focus on the task and not on the blood he could feel dripping off his face. "Evil-(pant)-tried to warn-attacked me-(groan)-didn't see-." Another lance of pain cut him off with a gasp. Something was wrong in his chest; a broken rib perhaps? He'd already identified that one of his legs was broken as he could feel the bone sticking out of his skin.

"It's alright," Obi-wan said, noticing how Anakin was struggling. "Whatever it was, it's gone now." That, at least, he was sure of. The Dark side of the Force had been so dense when he arrived it was almost visible, but it was gone now. "The healer will be here soon so just rest for now.

Anakin wanted to argue, he really did, but air was becoming a precious commodity he was running short on. He spared a moment to wonder why M'ren had injured the avatar body when it would have no affect on her original body instead of just attacking the mind but quickly shrugged the questions away. The man was a Sith. What other reason did he need?

A hand gently took hold of Anakin's, making the blonde open his eyes again. Master Obi-wan was staring at him, somehow more serious than normal. "I failed you. I swear, it won't happen again." The blonde opened his mouth to deny the failure part but clamped it shut when blood welled in the back of his throat. Tears filled his eyes and were echoed by his Master. Finally, Anakin nodded and allowed his eyes to close again, not noticing that, despite his wounds, he was no longer afraid. He was never afraid when he was with his Master.

* * *

_It was a month before I managed to fully heal from that attack. Master Bant quickly became tired of me as I was confined to her infirmary for the duration of my recovery. Honestly, I became pretty sick of her too. However, I preferred her grouchy overlord personality to Master Obi-wan who apologized every time he came to see me. I finally screamed at him after a week of being trapped in the temple which, sadly, was my biggest slip in regards to my true mentality. And of course, the mistake was witnessed by several Jedi, including members of the Council. Master Windu in particular became very suspicious, but he had always had a certain amount of dislike for me so I wasn't overly concerned on that count. It was Yoda I worried about. But as time passed, their suspicions faded. By the time I was cleared to resume normally Jedi duties, the event had been forgotten._

_Despite my frustration with my Master, I couldn't help but appreciate him as he helped me through every stage of my recovery. There were times I know I wouldn't have made it if Obi-wan hadn't been there to give me the gentle push I needed. With every passing day I was allowing myself to come closer to him, which was probably the worst thing I could do, considering who I was and why I was at the temple. A chain was binding us together and I knew it would be broken when the mission concluded. I'd thought I was strong enough to break it on my own._

_I was wrong._

* * *

_Babble time: And here is chapter two. Finally got all the chapters typed so I'll be uploading a new chapter every day until I'm done…which should only take a few days. The whole story is only seven chapters long and we're already done with three. So let's get to the review responses._

_Jedi Master Misty Sman-Esay: Yes, TTFN stands for Ta Ta For Now. I got it from Tigger. I'm glad you find the story interesting and super glad it is amusing. That's the point of the whole story._

_As always, if you notice any mistakes, please don't hesitate to tell me so I can go in and fix it. Just please be respectful. And if you're going to flame, could you please be nice enough to log in first so I can respond to you directly? Thanks._

_Thanks for reading! TTFN!_


	4. Snarky Zombie Jedi

_Chapter 3_

_Snarky zombie Jedi_

_More years flew by. It was becoming increasingly difficult to remember who and what I really was. My life on Earth, being a solider, even just being female seemed strange and foreign. Anakin was my reality. Aria was just a dream._

_Or a nightmare._

_M'ren never forgot me. Every meeting I attended, he was there, watching me. Sometimes he would appear amused. Other times he was thoughtful. Twice he was furious and once he even tried to behead me. Yet at the end of every meeting he would always throw me a smirk before leaving quietly. My flesh would crawl and I'd want to run away to scrub my skin off, made worse when people would look at me in envy, as though I should be grateful for his attention._

_My life with the Jedi wasn't any better. Master Obi-wan had become unbearably protective after Cygnus, hardly letting me out of his sight and treating my like a toddler when we were on missions. This led to many confrontations between us as my independence clashed with his protection. Our relationship became very strained and my non-Jedi side became much more obvious. The Order began to notice and started treating me differently. The other Jedi Drivers noticed and warned me to stop giving everything away. One said that I was single-handedly ensuring the mission's failure._

_I didn't care. I didn't know it then, but I wanted the Jedi to notice what was happening. It was the only way I could think of to save them. I could admit, even if only to myself, that we were wrong. The Jedi should never be eliminated. They should be protected. But I wasn't ready to give up everything for the Jedi._

_Not then, at least._

* * *

"Anakin, have you heard a word I've said in the last hour?" Obi-wan asked, his irritated voice cutting through the blonde's musings. The teenager turned towards his master, face blank while his mind scrambled. Honestly, he hadn't been aware that Obi-wan was speaking at all. His Master knew it, too. "Honestly, Anakin, what's gotten into you? Your mind never seems to be in the moment anymore."

Knowing there was no answer he could give, Anakin just mumbled, "Sorry, Master," and turned away. Testament to the last few years, Obi-wan just sighed and turned back to the ship's controls. A twinge of regret pecked at Anakin's heart but he pushed it away. The farther away Obi-wan was emotionally, the easier the betrayal would be on both of them. Besides, the blonde was still dealing with M'ren's latest mental attack and the damage that came with it. He usually recovered quickly but it would take a few more hours before he could pretend to be normal.

With silence restored in the small craft, Anakin began to think about how he and his Master had ended up in the ship together. The Counsel had started worrying about Anakin's personality change. He'd become surly, rude, and confrontational, more so than could be explained by teenage rebellion. No one could control him, not even Obi-wan. Most of the Counsel was ready to banish the troublesome blonde. All of them, in fact, except for one. Yoda.

Three days before, Anakin had been brought before the Counsel for an 'intervention meeting'. Within seven minutes the blonde had managed to insult every Jedi in the room twice, seven times in the case of Master Windu. He was just about to get kicked out of the room, and likely the temple, when Yoda suddenly spoke, shocking everyone into silence.

"Good, you are," he said, looking deep into Anakin's eyes. "Feel it, I can. Good, hope, compassion, protection; filled with these feelings, you are. And fear. Fear for us, you do. Fear for what we cannot see. Why so afraid, are you?" And, to the surprise of every Jedi in the room, Anakin said nothing. He didn't insult, he didn't belittle, he didn't mock-and he didn't deny.

Yoda was the one to recommend this mini-vacation for Anakin and Obi-wan. He was convinced that the blonde just needed time to sort out his issues and that Obi-wan was the best person to help him. Anakin himself wasn't so sure. He knew what his issues were and they wouldn't be resolved with some time off and his Master's presence. Although, depending on where they were going, maybe he'd be to busy to think about all his problems. Doubtful, but possible.

"Master, where are we going again?" he asked, staring out the window. When he didn't get a reply, he glanced over to find Obi-wan staring at him in surprise. "What?" he asked, utterly confused. "Did you tell me already and I just didn't pay attention?"

"No," the elder Jedi finally answered slowly. "This is just the first time you've shown an interest in-anything over the past few years." The blonde frowned and opened his mouth to refute the statement, only to shut it silently a few moments later. That was totally-true. He _had_ been rather disinterested recently. "We're going to Sengheli," Obi-wan continued, looking back at the controls. "It's a peaceful planet in the Outer Rim. Master Yoda arranged for us to stay at a winter resort." The blonde blinked, bringing a smile to Obi-wan's face. He'd forgotten just how cute his padawan could be when he was confused. "Your love of snow is not a secret, Anakin."

"Suppose not," Anakin admitted, giving a small smile himself and not catching his Master's sharp glance towards his upturned lips. Both males had a fleeting thought of how long it had been since they'd seen the other one smile. "I guess I was a little snow crazy when I was younger." Ok, he'd been very snow crazy. Not his fault.

Chuckling at the understatement, Obi-wan continued with his work and didn't notice that his padawan was staring at him. The blonde was trying, and failing, to remember when he had last taken the time to really look at his Master. He couldn't remember Obi-wan looking so tan and fit and young and, "Did you get your hair cut?"

_That_ got him a strange look. "Not recently, no. This is the same style I've had for the past two years." Yeah, Anakin had been out of it recently.

While Anakin puzzled over his four year apathy and wondered what else he'd missed, Obi-wan watched him out of the corner of his eye with cautious hope. Ever since the Dark attack for years ago, he'd thought his young padawan was lost. Even though the physical wounds had healed, it had become clear that the mental wounds were much more severe than they had thought. Those bright blue eyes had become dull, robbing Obi-wan of something he hadn't known he would miss. For years, he and other Jedi had tried to break Anakin free of whatever Darkness had hold of him. Nothing worked. The blonde just became more and more volatile and stubborn. Over time, the dreaded yellow hue of the Sith had started creeping into his padawan's eyes. The blonde had been losing himself and wasn't even aware of it, leaving Obi-wan to mourn.

But now, for whatever reason, Anakin was aware. He was conversing, asking questions, showing interest in what was around him. His eyes were clear, even if they were still a little yellowish. This was the first sign of the young man Obi-wan knew and loved coming back.

Please Force, let him come back.

* * *

_The following week was the best of my life. Considering Yoda was Head of the Jedi Counsel I was expecting a monkish monastery, regardless if Obi-wan called it a winter resort. It turned out to be a winter wonderland! There was skiing, natural hot springs, sleigh rides, an ice maze, snow fort for snowball battles, even outdoor ice skating. I was in heaven!_

_Obi-wan-not so much. He never did like snow as much as I did. Honestly, I expected him to stay in the hotel for most of the vacation, maybe joining me on occasion. Instead, he was always with me, doing whatever I wanted to do that day. It took me a couple days to realize why he was staying so close. It wasn't that he was being protective, like I'd originally though, but rather that he was trying to have fun with his padawan because he expected me to revert to snarky zombie mode after the vacation._

_I couldn't blame him for thinking that. It wasn't like I had a very good history when it came to my behavior. The problem was, I didn't want to go back to being a snarky zombie. My official reason was that the last four years were just a blur in my mind, devoid of any details or events. I couldn't recall any missions or battles, couldn't remember classes I had taken in the temple. Such a large gap in my mind was unacceptable to my soldier training._

_The unofficial reason was that I missed my Jedi friends. During the vacation I decided to comm my Twi'lek friend, Adam, and the first five minutes of the conversation consisted of me trying to convince him that I was coherent again. The next ten minutes were Adam exclaiming how happy he was that his friend was finally back. That made me feel bad enough, but once I realized that Obi-wan was trying to have good memories with me because he expected to lose me again was almost unbearable._

_So then, goal: do not become snarky zombie. Simple enough, right? Plan: -this is where things get complicated. I could come clean about the mission. I wouldn't of course, but I could. Then again, M'ren wasn't something I'd agreed to when I accepted the mission. Sith were never mentioned in the briefing packet. Maybe I could use that to my advantage._

_The week was coming to a close and my time was running out. My officers had always complained that I would put off a decision until the very last second. Why break tradition? So I tried to simply enjoy the vacation. Did every event offered, repeating my favorites when time would allow. One day I captured a holo-image of Obi-wan right after a tree had dumped a load of snow on him, turning him into a walking snowman. He'd proceeded to chase me for over an hour, threatening to give me to Master Bant if I did not surrender the image while I just laughed like a hyena. The only reason I got out of the chase was because I fell through the ice on the lake and Obi-wan had to rescue me. That water was _COLD_!_

_Our last day came, and with it came my decision. M'ren had attacked me the night before for no apparent reason. I'd become his punching bag because I was closer to the Jedi than any other Driver. For a Sith mind, that was the only reason needed to attack me whenever he wanted. To my mind, it meant I owed him no loyalty._

* * *

"That was an epic face plant," Anakin chuckled, peeling his coat off so that it could drip dry. His Master just glared at him, from somewhere behind the snow. "What? It was. You had wide open snow and still managed to trip over your own skies."

"I never claimed to be a good skier," Obi-wan grumbled, tugging his own gear off. "You're the one who took to snow like a fish takes to water." Despite his complaints, Obi-wan was happy. This week had brought back the old Anakin. The one that laughed and smiled and teased and joked. The one that would pull a prank and then revert to puppy eyes if he got caught. It was a sight most Jedi thought had been lost after Cygnus.

But this was their last day on Sengheli and Obi-wan was worried. No matter how good the week had been, it could all go away so easily. The signs were already present. All day, Anakin had been withdrawn. He'd seemed distracted at times, staring into space for no reason. Even now, despite his jokes, he was detached. Regretfully, Obi-wan was preparing himself to lose his padawan once more.

"Master?" The word was so quiet, it was almost missed. Surprised, Obi-wan turned towards his padawan to find the teen sitting on his bed, gaze focused downwards. "At that research station on Cygnus-there was a Sith there." The coat that had been in Obi-wan's hands feel from nerveless fingers as dread gripped his heart. He'd though, as all Jedi did, that a Sith had been present but had hoped otherwise. They'd never thought the blonde would admit it.

But the teenager wasn't done. "I don't remember the physical wounds. Don't remember getting them, I mean. He attacked my mind; it felt like he was tearing me from my body. It was-scary."

Taking a deep breath, Anakin had a moment of panic. He was taking a _huge_ risk but he was tired of living in fear. Tired of M'ren lording over him like he owned the blonde. Tired of the distance between him and Obi-wan, even if it was probably for the better. He couldn't explain everything. He didn't want to and his soldier training would not allow him to. But something had to change.

"I didn't think he did a lot of damage at first," he continued, refusing to look up. "But sometimes, when I sleep, the Sith comes back. He never hurts me, though not for lack of trying. Mostly he just watches. It's stressful, and tiring, but I thought I had it under control. However, considering I can barely remember the last four years, I guess I was wrong." Gathering his courage, he looked up to meet Obi-wan's gaze. "I don't want to fight alone anymore, even if I could. Please, help."

There were many ways Obi-wan could have reacted. He could have been angry with Anakin for hiding the Sith involvement. He could have reverted to mother hen mode, suffocating Anakin with his protectiveness. He could have shunned the blonde for various and assorted reasons. He could have helped, but never trusted his padawan again. So many possibilities, but Anakin wasn't expecting to be pulled into a warm hug and enveloped in his Master's love through the Force.

"Thank you for telling me," Obi-wan whispered, shocking Anakin to the core. "I know how hard that must have been. I'm not sure how yet, but I swear, we'll find a way to shield your mind from the Sith." Pulling back slightly, he made sure to catch the blonde's gaze. "You're never alone, Anakin. I'll always be here to help, support, guide, or protect you. Never doubt that. I'm _always_ here for you." Later, Anakin would deny having cried but Obi-wan would never forget it, because as the tears feel, the yellow tint in his padawan's eyes faded away for good.

"Thank you, Master."

* * *

She was ready for the strike this time. After four years, she knew M'ren better than most people. He would know what she told Obi-wan and he would be furious. She didn't care. By the time the lightsaber had struck the sync tube she was half-way across the room, balanced on a bed. Hateful yellow eyes met hers but paused at her challenging smirk, forcing the Sith to take a second look at her. This wasn't the scared soldier he was accustomed to. This was a confidant Jedi.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" she asked, voice quiet as though she could disturb the other Drivers that were in their sync tubes. "Obi-wan knows about you now. Right now he can't find you, but if you harm me? How long do you think that will last?" For a few tense seconds they remained in a standoff, an event that was becoming rather common place for them, until M'ren collapsed his blade with a snarl.

"I won't forget this," he growled, eyes nearly glowing with hatred. Aria just smiled, standing easily.

"You said I'd either be a powerful ally or a worthy opponent," she reminded him. "I'm just starting to choose which role I want. After all, terrified slave was not an option you gave me." Snorting in disgust, M'ren turned to stomp away. However, he did pause at the threshold.

"You are a menace," he growled, not looking back as his fist clenched around his saber hilt in a death grip. "An annoyance; an unpredictable risk. I will enjoy destroying you when the time comes. However," he turned to face her again, cruel smirk back in place, "you _are_ amusing. Such a little pawn, managing to change the rules of the game. I thought the General was the person to watch for treachery, while you manage to pull a coup under my nose. Congratulations. It will not happen again." With his piece spoken, the Sith left.

Aria knew there would be hell to pay. Then General would hear of her stunt and blow a fuse. She would face anger from the other Drivers because the Jedi would increase security. Even the other Jedi would be upset that she had kept quiet about a Sith presence. But for the first time since the mission began, she had openly chosen a side. She wasn't stuck in the middle anymore, and that was worth any amount of dislike she received.

* * *

_Things did change after that. The General almost pulled me from the mission, threatening to have me executed for treason, but when I didn't re-sync with Anakin the Jedi went on alert. To prevent the discovery of the mission, I was allowed to return. Still upset, The General tried to restrict my movements as the Chancellor but when the Order saw the interest he had in me they did what Jedi are actually very proficient at. They hid me from him. He never knew where I was and, because the Jedi now knew that sleep and contact with the Sith were connected for me, I couldn't report in as often. I wasn't bothered by the loss._

_On the other side of my life, things were starting to look up, which was a pleasant surprise. Obi-wan and I were as close as we had ever been. Closer, perhaps. We knew we could trust each other, and that we would support each other. Obi-wan helped me learn to shield my mind, guarding it against the Sith, which relieved a lot of tension I hadn't even known I had. This lead to great improvements in my attitude and my interactions with other Jedi flourished. I rebuilt my old friendships, especially with Adam. He was so ecstatic over my recovery and made it very clear that he would never let me fall so far again. For some reason, I never doubted him._

_The mission was coming to an end. Every Driver knew it. Another four, five years and things would be brought to a close. Despite everything, I still planned to complete the mission. I was just starting to question which side of the line I would be on when the battle began._

* * *

_Babble time: And here is chapter 3. The shifting of loyalty is getting a little more obvious now, no? Well, let's get to the review responses._

_Jedi Master Misty Sman-Esay: The plot is constantly thickening in this story. And yes, Sky is having definite changes of heart._

_Well, that's all for today. Hope you all like it!_

_Thanks for reading! TTFN!_


	5. Drawing the Lines

_Chapter Four_

_Drawing the Lines_

_How much can change in four years? Going off my life so far, I'd say a lot, but the last four years went far beyond "a lot". Between the Jedi hiding Anakin from the Chancellor, M'ren trying to kill me every time he saw me, and the General trying to sabotage me when I was synced with Anakin, my life had become a big game of cat vs. mouse. And that was just the first two years. The next two were when all hell broke loose._

_When Padme's life was threatened and I was assigned to protect her while Obi-wan tracked down her assassin, I wasn't overly concerned. Learning that the Chancellor had recommended me for the task, however, worried me quite a bit. And then Obi-wan had to go and get himself captured. I was (mildly) touched when Padme insisted on going to rescue my Master. I would have been more touched if she hadn't forced me to disobey my orders. Then came Geonosis. The only thing that went right on that damn planet was saving Obi-wan and even that didn't go as planned. Everything else blew up in our faces. Dooku, the clones, hundreds of Jedi dead, though some were Drivers, and giving the war a kick-start was all accomplished in the span of two hours._

_And of course, there is my arm. Or maybe it would be better to say there _was_ my arm. I was extremely pissed off to realize that I had lost an arm to the sub-par Dooku while M'ren had never managed to touch me since I'd learned of his existence. However, the situation of my missing arm took a backseat when I woke up a week later in a bed with Padme. That was certainly not something I had planned/wanted._

_After freaking out, I contacted Master Obi-wan. He had me send him a blood sample and found that I had been injected with a drug that made me very open to suggestions. A little more digging revealed that I was married to Padme, no doubt the General's latest attempts at sabotaging my work with the Order. Luckily, the Jedi understood that I hadn't meant to get married and did not hold it against me. The couldn't touch the marriage, but they could keep me so bust that I couldn't visit Padme often. The war likely would have kept me busy regardless but at least now I had a reason to stay off planet as much as possible, working with the armies. Some of the military officials that worked with the Jedi were concerned when they learned I had only one whole arm but were reassured once I received my prosthetic arm._

_Thank the Force for Obi-wan during that time. He helped me through every stage of my recovery. We had a few issues when I would return to my female body and have the ability to use two whole arms only to come back to my one and one-half armed male body. Habits I was trying to develop as Anakin were being destroyed by Aria and having Aria's usual range of abilities sometimes caused me to forget Anakin's restrictions. So one day, I fixed the problem. Got in a lot of trouble for it too._

* * *

"What were you thinking?" Caelum growled as he changed the bandage. "_Were_ you thinking at all?! The Jedi must have ruined your mind."

"I disagree," Aria chuckled, hiding her pain a the rough handling. "I actually was thinking things through though. It was difficult and troublesome to go from two arms to one and one-half. This is no different then when you guys de-aged me." Okay, so stealing M'ren's lightsaber and cutting off her own arm was a little extreme. The only reason M'ren hadn't killed her yet was that he was still trying to figure out how she had stolen the saber. She wasn't about to tell him.

Huffing in frustration, Caelum rolled away to get his scanner. As frustrated as he was, he had to admit that she was right. Her body had taken more damage from the de-aging than it had when she lost her arm. It was also obvious that she knew how to wield the saber. Ignoring the fact that half her arms was gone, there was very little damage. A clean cut that was instantly cauterized and infection burned out was all she had. She was also caring for it well, though that could be attributed to practice.

Honestly, most of his anger came from the simple fact that he worried about Aria. After twelve years, they were pretty close friends, or so he thought at least. Watching the soldier seriously injure herself was not something he enjoyed doing. That wasn't even considering the fact that he knew about her shift in loyalty. When it came down to whom he would believe about the Jedi, Aria or the General, he'd choose Aria every time, so he kept her secret. That didn't stop him from worrying. She was getting more and more obvious about where her allegiance lay and the General couldn't possible be stupid enough to not notice.

After scanning the stub of Aria's arm and receiving nothing but good reports, Caelum rewrapped the wound, gentler this time. The blonde sat quietly through the process, watching everything around her. Despite his earlier words, Caelum knew that being a Jedi was actually the best thing to happen to the young soldier. His granny had always said that, somehow, every person would find where they belonged in the universe. Aria belonged with the Jedi, and though she'd joined the Order in a roundabout way, she was no less worthy of her position.

"You're pushing your luck, I hope you know," Caelum finally muttered, finishing with the wrapping and securing the bandage with a piece of super tape, much like the super glue of ancient Earth. "I also hope that you know I'm on your side, not the General's."

Giving one of her rare genuine smiles, Aria jumped off the medical table, perfectly comfortable with her handicap. "Thanks, I'll remember the second," she said, shrugging into her coat for the walk back to the lab. "But in my experience, there's no such thing as luck." She suddenly frowned, although her eyes twinkled with subdued laughter. "Wonderful. I open my mouth and Obi-wan pops out. I'm never going to live this down." Laughing, Caelum waved her away to re-sync with Anakin, allowing him to clean up the medical bay. Only once she was gone did he slump in his chair. The odds of them bother surviving the next few years were low, but if anyone could pull it off, it was Aria. He just had to believe in her.

* * *

_I wish I had known how much Caelum was depending on my back then. Maybe I wouldn't have been so reckless._

* * *

Anakin was by no means a morning person. Never had been, never would be. So waking up to find Adam hovering very close to his face deserved only one response. "Gah!" he yelled, flailing around and managing to punch Adam in the face before falling off the bed. For a second everything in the room became still until, "Adam, do I need to kill you?"

"I think you just dead," the Twi'lek groaned, gingerly holding his nose. "By the way, good morning." Grumbling about how his anti-morning habits should become general warning for his partners, the blonde peeled himself off the floor. Out of habit, he checked his prosthetic arm for damage. It was fine of course, but he still worried. A flesh and blood arm would report damage the moment it happened but a metal arm had to be inspected. It was a good thing the Order had access to the best medics, engineers, and materials to be found in the known universe. If they didn't, Anakin would have been temple bound for a long time.

Prodding the still whining Twi'lek, the blonde Jedi quickly dressed for the day. He and Adam had been sent to Kamino as the Jedi representatives with the Republic envoy that had come to order more clone troops. Ever since "coming clean" about his encounter with the Sith, Anakin had become an expert on sensing the Dark side of the Force, which was why he was sent to Kamino. The Jedi were still searching for the Sith Lord that had been causing so many problems, leaving the blonde frustrated as they looked in all the wrong places. However, no Jedi doubted that the clone troops were connected to the Sith in some way. One of the few things they got right, so Anakin wasn't to upset about having to be on Kamino.

"R2, where is my formal robe?" the blonde asked, digging through his bag. The astrodroid beeped at him, rolling over to the corner of the room and dragging the robe out from under a bag. Wincing, the padawan took the fabric and started shaking it out. "Thanks, I think." He still wasn't to sure about having the droid as a partner but chose not to question it. Padme had insisted on sending the R2 unit to help her husband, though she didn't call him that (thank the Force), since he "needed someone to look after him". Considering Obi-wan had basically laughed himself sick when the message came in, there had been no one to argue on Anakin's behalf that he did not need a droid babysitter. Nevertheless, the little droid had proved useful and was a pretty good friend. It was also the only semi-sentient thing that the blonde could tell all his secrets to and not have to worry about anyone finding out.

Finally in his more formal work clothes (damn Republic officials, insisting he be completely professional) Anakin left the room to speed down the hall. One of the Kaminoans had agreed to give him a tour of the facility and he did _not _want to be late. Punctuality was paramount in this species; understandable when one considers what they do for a living. So despite his usual laid back nature, the blonde was more than willing to hurry for this meeting. Doubly so when he reached the rendezvous point to find the Prime Minister, Lama Su, waiting for him. But before he could greet the Kaminoan, the tall alien bowed to him. "Greetings, Driver."

…well shit.

"You know what I am?" Anakin hissed in English, hoping the Prime Minister would understand. If the nod was any indication, he did. "How?"

"Any artist would recognize a masterpiece they created, would they not?" was the answer. It made sense, now that Anakin was forced to think about it. The Anakin body was just a mutated clone of Aria so it was no wonder the Kaminoans, master cloners and all, had something to do with it. "Now, would you like to begin the tour?" With few other options, Anakin bowed and followed the cloner out of the room. They made their way through the facility, Anakin getting the same spiel as Master Obi-wan had At least, until the end of the tour. Then things got switched up a little. "Do you require a new body to replace this damaged version?"

"No, thank you," the blonde answered tersely. "The Jedi would ask unwanted question if I were suddenly gain my arm back. I would like to ask you a question of my own though, if I may?" He waited for a nod before continuing. "How did Kamino start working with Earth? We aren't exactly neighbors."

"We were referred to Earth by the Sith Empire, of course," Lama Su answered non-chalantly, not noticing Anakin's shocked expression. "The Sith have long been using our services and thought the Earth could benefit from our skills. We first made contact shortly after some event involving a device called the Ultimate Weapon and cloned the humans on the moon but were not contacted again until this mission was set to begin."

After picking his jaw up off the ground, Anakin had to ask, "So the Sith have a history with Earth?" That was an acceptable question, after all. All the Drivers had been shocked by M'ren's appearance, proving that Sith weren't exactly known about or expected on Earth. It wasn't so strange to wonder how Earth and The Sith Empire had become friends.

"But of course," the Prime Minister replies, vaguely surprised at the question. "Earth is an ancient Sith home world. The world nearly oozes Darkness, proven by how the planet has never known peace. It has produced several famous Sith over the centuries. Surely you learned this at the Academy."

Trying to still his spinning mind, Anakin barely managed to latch onto one word. "Academy?"

"The Sith Academy, of course. Your Earth officials specified that all cloned husks were to be Force sensitive but we can not control _how_ Force sensitive the body will be. It can only reflect and magnify the Driver's natural Force connection. For you to be so powerful, you must have been trained as a Sith at the Academy. Is that not so?"

Cue the crickets of awkward silence.

"Thank you for the tour, Prime Minister," Anakin said with a bow, managing to not sound stiff at all. "However, I fear that I am fatigued and must rest. If I may be excused?" Understanding what he meant, Lama Su merely nodded and allowed the blonde to leave. Moving quickly, the young Jedi hurried back to his room, hoping Adam would not be present so that he wouldn't face any questions about why he was going to bed so early. He had a Sith to chew out.

* * *

_Earth is a Sith home world?! I'm naturally Force sensitive?! Was no one going to tell me anything about the truth on this mission?! Enough was enough! M'ren had once called me a pawn; time to show him that pawns can attack too._

* * *

The training room doors slid shut with a hiss, managing to sound oddly ominous. It caught the attention of everyone in the room but Aria only had eyes for the Sith. "Out," she growled and everyone scrambled to obey. Soon, it was just the Sith and the Driver. "So, how long of a battle must I survive to get some answers from you?"

"Depends on the questions," M'ren sneered, glaring at her crippled arm. "I'm in a generous mood at the moment, so I'll answer one question, if you can meet the price I demand for it. Speak your question."

Quickly sorting through her mass of questions, Aria chose what she thought was the most important. "When were you going to tell the Drivers that Earth is a Sith home world and that we are all Force sensitive?"

M'ren scoffed, eyes narrow with disdain. "You are honestly wasting my time with such a pathetic question?"

"Not really," the blonde replied, trying to sound flippant so as to anger him. He was always easier to beat when he was angry. "I just wanted to know if it was true or not. If it wasn't true, you would have asked where I had heard such lies, so apparently it is true. Thanks."

"You impudent, little-."

"Yeah, yeah, love you too." Taking a risk, she turned her back on the enraged Sith and moved to walk away. She'd never tried to use the Force outside of Anakin's body, never thought she could, but she also had faith in everything she'd learned over the last twelve years. Sure enough, she felt the strike before it came and ducked, allowing M'ren's lightsaber to slice right over her. Before M'ren could recover, Aria Force pushed him across the room, slamming him into the wall. Covering her own surprise (she had _not_ meant to shove that hard), she turned to glare at M'ren. "Did you manage to forget that I've been training as a Jedi for the last twelve years? I feel insulted." She ignored the warning spark in his eyes, needing to get him madder. The angrier she could make him, the easier he would be to defeat.

"So you admit you are a Jedi!" M'ren snarled, eyes nearly glowing gold in his rage. "You admit you are the enemy!"

"What do you think?!" Aria snapped back, releasing some of her own anger. "You always considered yourself to be so superior. Tell me! What do you think?!"

Silence fell over the room, dense and smothering. For a dangerous moment, the situation could have exploded quite spectacularly. Then M'ren shifted back. "I think that anyone sympathetic towards the Jedi should be careful," he answered, threat oozing from his words. "After all, even if the person could defend himself-or herself-there is no way he-or she-could protect everyone. Someone like a scientist, or maybe a cripple, would be much more vulnerable."

Eyes narrow in anger, Aria tried to reign her fury in. The Jedi's trump card against the Sith was that Jedi controlled their emotions while Sith were controlled _by_ their emotions. Despite wanting to destroy M'ren for threatening Caelum, she knew she couldn't. "Understood," she replied, forcing a sharp smile. "If I meet any Jedi sympathizers I'll be sure to pass the message along."

"Make sure you do," the Sith warned before stalking out of the room. Only once she was sure he was gone did she let out a frustrated sigh, releasing her anger into the Force. Glancing down at her hand, she slowly uncurled her fist and watched the blood drip from the gouges created by her finger nails. She'd need to get it treated before she re-synced with Anakin.

But first she took a moment to let the quiet of the room sink into her. Obi-wan had once said that quiet was Anakin's greatest tool, and greatest warning. Quiet meant he was thinking. Quiet meant he was planning. Quiet meant he was calm.

Quiet meant he was dangerous.

* * *

_After getting my hand treated, I re-synced with Anakin. I knew M'ren would be watching me closer than ever, if such a thing were even possible. Moving about would be much more dangerous but that did not absolve me of my responsibility to try to save the Jedi. I just needed to be sneakier. It was time to see how Sith like this Jedi could be without crossing the line._

* * *

"Ready to get off this water world?" Adam asked with a smile, contrasting sharply with his cautious eyes. He'd observed Anakin giving warning signs of returning to snarky zombie mode the last few days and had become a bit worried. It had started right after the tour of the cloning facilities, actually. However, the blonde human was doing better that day. Maybe he just needed to get off the planet.

"More than you know," Anakin replied with a grin that was a shade to dark. "I have one last task to complete, but then we may go." Clapping Adam on the shoulder, the blonde's dark grin became a true smile. "I know I've worried you the last few days. I'm sorry, I was struggling but I have a plan now. Thanks for the support though. It helped."

"Anytime," Adam sighed in relief, giving Anakin a tight hug. "We're friends, right?"

"Always." Squeezing Adam tight, the blonde let go and left to finish his task. However, before he'd gone to far he turned back to wave at his friend. "If I'm not back in ten minutes, come find me, okay?"

"Of course," the Twi'lek laughed, waving back. "I need to even up the game score anyway." Smirking at the inside joke, Anakin shook his head. It had become tradition for the two padawans to play hide-and-seek whenever they were on the same planet, considering how the war often kept them far apart. So far Anakin had more points, being a better tracker and all. Maybe one day he'd get the chance to explain how his skill came from soldier training. Doubtful, but he could hope.

When Anakin finally reached the rendezvous point, Lama Su was already waiting for him. "Prime Minister, good morning. Thank you for agreeing to see me on such short notice."

"Anything for such a powerful Sith," the Kaminoan answered, bluntly honest, but he must have picked up a glint in Anakin's gaze because he continued, "How may I serve you, Master-Jedi?"

Taking a deep breath, Anakin wondered for a final second if this was a good idea. The problem with M'ren was that he was a Sith. The good thing about M'ren was that he was a Sith. He was a dangerous person but only if _he_ was crossed. Challenge him and Caelum would suffer but challenge the General and M'ren would likely be content to play out the change. At least, he had been so far.

"I want you to retrain all the clones so that my orders supersede all others. The General has been judged unstable in the military aspects of this mission and I am to take command. As such, command over all current and future clone troops must be transferred to me." For a long moment, the future of the entire mission hung in a tense balance. There were so many things that could go wrong, but the blonde was trying to be optimistic. Granted, he wasn't always the best at it but he was trying.

"Of course, Master Jedi," Lama Su said at last, giving a tiny bow. "Full transfer of command will be completed by the end of this week." Giving a slight smile, Anakin bowed in response before turning to leave. Adam would no doubt be waiting for him by the transport and he didn't want to leave the Twi'lek in the rain any longer than necessary. It made his friend act very strangely. Last time the green skinned Twi'lek had insisted that he was a flower and couldn't come inside because there was no soil for his roots. With everything so tense and uncertain, the last thing the blonde wanted to do was drag a full grown Twi'lek onto a ship as he yelled that he was a flower.

But things were going to change now. This mission would end differently than the General had planned, though the outcome was still up in the air. Anakin would just have to wait it out, moving carefully. But at least he was finally doing something. That made the risk worth it.

"You're move, M'ren."

* * *

_As promised, I had full command over all clones in less than a week. The General could no longer use them against the Jedi, and the best part was that he was no informed of this shift. Lama Su thought him unstable and M'ren found my move amusing for some strange reason. Neither mentioned what I had done._

_Among the Jedi, other changes started occurring. Now that I had chosen my side, I was less concerned with keeping the mission a secret and more concerned with saving the Order. My soldier training and M'ren prevented me from flat out telling the Jedi the truth but I had started working with Yoda to protect the Order. Yoda, Force bless him, never questioned me. Even when I requested he keep our activities and plans from certain Jedi, the remaining Drivers, he would just nod in his sagely way and agree. He trusted me, which was a strange feeling. Obi-wan and Caelum were the only people to ever trust me before._

_Together, Yoda and I created evacuation plans, built and stocked safe houses, designed codes, and produced several practical plans of action to address almost any scenario the Order might face. Everything was going well, so I should have known something was going to go wrong._

_Caelum was attacked. Not by M'ren himself, but on his orders. The Sith didn't know exactly what I was planning but he knew I was. The attack was a warning. Caelum survived, but he was badly scarred, almost losing the ability to ever speak again. With Caelum's life on the line, I pulled myself out of the Jedi planning. Again, Yoda did not question my decision but excepted it with his usual grace. Thank the Force for that too. I would have hated to lie to him._

_No plotting, no planning, nothing to do but wait for the mission to end. Then I would leave the temple, leave Anakin's body for the last time, and return to Earth a hero. That was my future, despite how grim it sounded. But then I saw the holo-image. The one I had taken of Obi-wan on Sengheli. The one he'd labeled, 'The day I began to hope again.' That was when I knew I couldn't stand by and hope for the best. These were my people, my friends, my master. I would fight for them, defend them, and if needed, I would die for them._

_If I can only make it in time._

* * *

_Babble time: Chapter four! Anakin/Aria has made his/her decision at long last. We are now pretty much caught up to the prologue. Probably could have dragged the story out a bit but I really didn't feel like it. So let's get to the review responses, yes?_

_CommanderKnobi1: I must admit, I was very surprised by your review, although it also made me super, super happy. I was afraid that this story was very cheesy and overly dramatic. And I'm also a little concerned since I'm basing Anakin off of myself, although this is not the first time I've been compared to the blonde. Yes, there is a big battle in the next chapter, which I hopefully did well. I'm not that good at fight scenes._

_Eron Elric aka the malchemist: First off, love the name. Second, thank you so much! I had to laugh when you mentioned the spelling though; that isn't usually something I get praised for._

_Jedi Master Misty Sman-Esay: I agree with your statement completely. Aria certainly proved that point, even if she does have a roundabout way of striking back._

_Alright then, guess that's all for this babble. Only two more chapters to go, which is good because I leave for California on Thursday for spring break and will be losing my internet for a while. I should mention that there will definitely be a sequel that I've already started, though I don't know when it will be posted. Still, keep your eyes open._

_Thanks for reading! TTFN!_


	6. The Death of a Traitor

_Chapter 5_

_The Death of a Traitor_

_Thirteen years, nine months, one week, five days. That's how long I've been on this mission. More than enough time to switch side, but was it enough to hold my own against a Sith? Because there was no way M'ren was going to sit this confrontation out, even if he didn't suspect that I would switch sides. The General and his gang of Drivers that were pretending to be politicians were of little threat. They had designed a room within the Senate tower that was equipped with force fields that they planned to use to trap the Jedi Council before the attack on the temple. I knew because I'd helped them install the things. However, I'd also added a little trap. With the right amount of Force pressure the shields would invert, freeing the trapped Jedi and trapping the Drivers. M'ren would have to be dealt with before that because he'd no doubt catch on to my trick and use it against me but once he was dead I wasn't to concerned._

_I knew Cody would take care of the temple if I failed. He would not rest until every possible Jedi was evacuated and he would defend those evacuees with his life. In the event of my death, command or the clones would transfer to the Jedi Council as a whole, ensuring their loyalty. Somehow, someway, the General's mission would fail. The Jedi Order would survive this attack._

_Honestly though, I didn't care about the big picture as I sped through Coruscant, trying not to crash and die as I headed towards the Senate tower. Master Obi-wan was all I could focus on. I had to save him and I had to tell him the truth. Not a very Jedi focus but who cared? No matter the outcome, this would be my last day as a Jedi._

* * *

"You won't get away with this," Obi-wan warned the smirking Chancellor as he subtly tested the shield that was keeping the Council trapped. "The Order will stop you, even if we fall."

"I think not," Palpatine chuckled, soaking in the moment. So many years of plotting and planning, so many setbacks conquered, all for this moment. He wanted to savor it all. "You see, Master Jedi, this day will not just see the destruction of your pathetic Jedi Council. No, it will see the end of the entire Jedi Order."

"Explain yourself," Mace Windu ordered, seemingly still calm and poised as ever. The Jedi knew differently. There was turmoil storming within him, the same turmoil that dwelled within them all. None had seen this attack coming and couldn't figure out how to escape. The shields had withstood their strangest attacks, leaving them trapped and cut-off, unable to help the temple.

"I thought it was obvious," the Chancellor mocked in pleasure. "We are not here for so petty a goal as only killing the top Jedi. Such a goal is to small for our might and grandeur. We are here to wipe the entire Order from existence. As we speak, my troops are marching on your precious temple while the clone troops inside have begun exterminating the vermin. Why, look," he gestured towards the large windows that overlooked the city with an evil grin. "You can see the smoke begin to rise from here." None of the Council members looked. The had been feeling the Force react to the fear of the Jedi within the temple for some time now, although it wasn't an overreaching terror like they would expect from an attack.

"You there," one man said, stepping away from the crowd that surrounded the Chancellor. The Council instantly felt the Dark side of the Force swirling around him and knew he was Sith. He pointed directly at Obi-wan, yellow eyes narrow in thought. "Are you Obi-something or other? The Jedi that Anakin brat is so loyal to?" Obi-wan's blood ran cold at the mention of his padawan. Anakin wasn't a part of all this, was he? Then the Sith grinned, distracting the Jedi from his sudden fear. "You must be him; who else would react so strongly to the idiot's name?"

"Lord M'ren, why does it matter?" Palpatine asked pompously. He quickly shrunk away, however, when the Sith gave him a sharp look. It was clear who held the true power in this plan. "I meant no disrespect, my lord, please forgive my slip of the tongue. I only meant that they will all die so what does it matter who they are?"

"It does not," M'ren drawled, turning away from the Chancellor once more as he started circling the captured Jedi. Obi-wan moved with him, unsure if the Sith could come in through the shield despite the Jedi being unable to move out. "However, that blonde nuisance has caused me a lot of problems over the years. This death is a-personal revenge." Smirking cruelly, the Sith drew his saber as he zeroed in on Obi-wan. "Don't worry, Jedi. Once I'm done with you, I'll finish what I started on Cygnus all those years ago." Obi-wan's eyes narrowed in return as the pieces started falling into place. The attack on Anakin, the Darkness on the planet, Anakin's shift in personality, the Sith that had haunted his padawan's sleep for years. It was all the work of this man.

"Starting to figure it out?" M'ren sneered, eyes flashing. "We can't have that." He coiled, about to strike before Obi-wan could move to dodge, when his lightsaber suddenly flew from his hands…

…and landed firmly in Anakin's. "That's twice now, M'ren."

"Agent Sky!" the Chancellor yelled, nearly covered up by the Sith's roar of outrage. "What are you doing here?! You were to leave with the other Jedi Drivers!"

"I would think it is obvious, sir," the blonde replied tersely, not looking away from M'ren. He knew where the true danger lay. "I'm defending my Master and the Council. Don't blame me if you never noticed my shift in loyalties. It's not like I made an extreme effort to hide them from you." Shrugging out of his rob, Anakin settled into a defensive stance, focused fully on the irate Sith before him. "You know this day would come, M'ren," he said quietly, blocking everything else out. "Most worthy opponent, right?"

"Something like that," the Sith growled, even as a smirk bloomed across his face. He never could turn down an interesting battle. "Pity you didn't choose the other option though. You could have been great."

"But never greater than you," the padawan countered. "Besides, I'm selfish enough to want to be happy with my life choices. Living as your slave or pet wouldn't have made me happy."

"And dying for the Jedi would?" M'ren challenged, only to be surprised when the blonde smiled. It wasn't a cruel smile, it wasn't a dark smile, it wasn't challenging or gloating or chiding. It was an honest, happy smile.

"Yes." The one word echoed with such sincerity that no one could doubt him. This was not a decision made on a whim. Anakin had finally made his choice and was at peace with it. "Enough of this stalling, M'ren." With a challenging glint in his eyes, the blonde tossed the saber back, his own at the ready. "Let's finish this morbid dance of ours." Answering the challenge, the Sith surged forward to meet him. Both were ready for things to end.

**Lunge. Parry. Strike. Dodge. Strike. Counter-strike. Jump!**

The battle was so swift, the viewers could hardly keep track of the combatants. If one were to blink, they could miss half the battle. The air nearly crackled with the Force as it surged around the room. Neither opponent was holding anything back. It truly would be the end of their struggle.

**Strike. Dodge. Counter. Round-house kick.**

"Fighting dirty today, Jedi? I thought you were above such petty tricks."

"That's rich, coming from a Sith. Besides, haven't you heard? All's fair in love and war."

**Rapid strikes, jump! Counter-strike. Dodge. Strike, duck! Lunge. Leap-back. Strike, block, repeat.**

Snarling, M'ren caught Anakin off guard, Force-pushing the blonde into the far wall before using the Force to make the wall collapse on top of him. "Anakin!" Obi-wan screamed, fear flooding him for his padawan, but before the echoes of his cry could fully disappear, the blonde rolled free of the debris cloud, a little dirtier but otherwise fine. From the time he rolled free to the time he launched back into battle was roughly a second but the blonde used a fraction of that time to throw his Master a reassuring look. He knew what he was doing, even if it didn't look like it.

**Lunge. Evade. Parry. Strike. Slash. Dodge. Leap!**

"Do you honestly believe you can stop us? You of all people should know that we'll always come back. So long as there are Jedi, there will be Sith to destroy them!"

**Slash. Black. Lunge, leap-back!**

"That's the corniest thing I've ever heard and I've had several classes on Jedi poetry. Besides, have you ever stopped to consider that the reverse is also true? So long as there are Sith, there will be Jedi to defeat them."

**Strike. Dodge. Parry. Counter. Thrust.**

The battle was shifting, becoming slower and more concentrated. Both combatants were more wary, forced to become less brash as their wounds began to affect them. Anakin looked much more ragged from having a wall try to crush him but M'ren had several serious wounds. Despite the tension of the moment, there was a gleam in both sets of eyes. The primal lure of battle and bloodlust was affecting them both.

"You should have never been a Jedi," M'ren whispered, gaze distant. "This power, this bloodlust; how could the Academy have missed you? It's as though you were meant to be a Sith." But even as he spoke, the gleam had faded from the blonde's eyes, leaving them a clear blue once more. Just like Qui-gon so many years before, he was focused again. The sight enraged M'ren. "Why do you deny your power?! Embrace your anger and you could destroy me! You'd have the power to rule over all!"

"What would I want with power?" Anakin asked, words heavy with an abject weariness. "You work so hard to gain power only to waste your life away, striving for more while protecting what you already have. I'd rather have people I trusted and cared for than any amount of power, and I decided that long before I knew that Jedi even existed."

With a roar, M'ren lunged forward, saber flashing fiercely. The attack was so powerful Anakin had no choice but to give before it. The watching Drivers started exclaiming happily, sure that M'ren was winning, but the Council remained quiet. Unlike the Drivers, they knew Anakin and how he fought. His actions were still calculated, still working towards his ultimate goal. Even without the Chancellor's manipulations, the blonde's reputation as a strategic fighter was well deserved, even if he had a habit of attacking without thinking.

"I will destroy you!" M'ren screamed, fully consumed by his rage. "The universe will be cleansed of your taint and all your plans will fail!" Leaping away from another wild slash, Anakin landed right beside the force field that held the Jedi. He could feel the energy of the shield crackling, warning him away from getting any closer. Glancing over his shoulder, the blonde caught his Master's gaze and mouthed an apology, regret swimming in his eyes as their training bond vibrated with his sadness.

With tears threatening to fall, Anakin turned to face the charging Sith, blocking out his Master's desperate cry. "You never did understand me, M'ren," he said, deactivating his lightsaber and shifting slightly, leaving himself oddly open. Realization dawned on all the observers as the red saber approached and the blonde made no move to evade. "At what point did I ever indicate-"

"Anakin, no!"

"-that I planned to survive?" With a horrified cry, Obi-wan was forced to watch as his padawan was run through by the red blade, just like his own Master had been slain. The room echoed with his cry, mixing it with M'ren's roar of triumph-until a surge of smugness hit every Force sensitive being in the room.

"You lose, M'ren." Before the Sith could react, Anakin's lightsaber was activated once more, in the perfect location to cut though the Sith's chest. For several long seconds the room was silent with shock, until M'ren's body crumpled to the ground, dead.

"What have you done?!" Palpatine screamed, rushing forward to kneel beside the fallen Sith as Anakin stumbled back, closer to the trapped Jedi. "You fool; you've ruined us! You ruined everything! What have you done?!"

"What I should have done a long time ago," the blonde answered, voice laced with pain as he used the Force to trigger the force field's trap. With a rumble the field inverted, freeing the Jedi and trapping the shocked Drivers. "I'm protecting what matters."

Weak with pain, Anakin finally collapsed, barely being caught by Obi-wan before he hit the ground. "Anakin!" the elder Jedi said, disbelief and fear nearly overwhelming his voice. "Hold on, just keep holding on. Master Bant, quickly!" The old healer also rushed forward, though she was despairing inside. All of the Jedi knew that type of wound was lethal.

When Master Bant tried to touch Anakin he waved her away. "Don't," he rasped. "I know it's hopeless. There's a lot I need to say and not much time." Nodding, the healer backed away, trying to hold back the tears that wanted to fall. Obi-wan quieted as well, though he did not bother fighting with his own tears. The rest of the Council gathered as close as they could, blocking Anakin from the view of the irate Drivers. Everyone knew they were witnessing the blonde's final moments.

"R2D2 has the complete data files, but there are things you need to know right away," Anakin said, desperate to finish. "The clones obey me, not the General. They're defending the temple right now and supervising the evacuations, though they will likely need help to defeat the enemy. Some Jedi are helping them so there might be some Jedi casualties but the number should be low. When I die, command of the clones transfers to the Council as a whole. Do whatever you feel needs to be done with them, but do not disband them. If they are disbanded the General might be able to regain control over them."

A series of coughs tore through the dying padawan, cutting him off. Obi-wan shifted the blonde in his arms, trying to ease his breathing. Once the fit had passed Anakin took a moment to catch his breath before continuing on determinedly. "I'm from a world you've never heard of, called Earth. It's a Sith home world, though I just learned that relatively recently, way beyond the Outer Rim. Almost beyond, beyond the Outer Rim. I was a soldier, and I was sent here to spy on the Jedi and provide intelligence for this attack. I wasn't the only one sent, but I don't think any of the others are staying."

It was obvious Anakin was fading fast as his words trailed off. He was struggling to remain focused and his breathing was labored. Yet he kept going, determined to finish what he'd started. "I was sent to spy, but things changed. I got to know the Order, learned how you lived, and knew Earth was wrong. That's why I betrayed them. I'm sorry I couldn't do more."

"Prepared us, you did," Yoda soothed, trying to reassure the dying blonde through the Force. The other Masters also sent positive thoughts and comfort through the Force, trying to show that they weren't mad. They all understood, to a certain degree. "Giving your life for us, you are. What more to give, do you?"

"True," Anakin chuckled weakly, unwilling to admit that he couldn't see anymore. "I just feel I should have done more. Should have made my decision sooner. Maybe things wouldn't have gotten so bad." Finally looking up to where he knew his Master was, he tried to smile. "Please don't cry, Master. This body-it isn't my original. Crazy, I know, but R2 will explain in detail. Point is that my mind, my soul perhaps, isn't attached to this body. Even though this body will die, I'll live. Just not here."

"I will find you then," Obi-wan promised, tears covering his cheeks. "I swear, I'll find you somehow. Just wait for me, alright?" Unable to speak anymore, Anakin could only smile. He didn't think his Master would ever find him. How could he, when the Jedi didn't have any idea where Earth was? But if it made his Master feel better, he would pretend to believe.

Taking the last of his energy, the blonde thought back to his first lesson with Obi-wan. He'd been so different then. So angry. So lost. He'd thought Qui-gon could be the one to help him grow and learn, but it was Obi-wan who had done that. Despite first impressions on both sides, Obi-wan had saved him and he had saved Obi-wan. They'd both learned so much from each other, not always willingly, but always for the better. Nevertheless, that first lesson would always be special. That's why, even as he died, the blonde gathered all of his negative emotions and released them into the Force.

Moments later, Anakin Skywalker died in peace.

* * *

_Objective One: Save the Jedi. Complete. Objective Two: Escape the moon lab. In progress._

* * *

The alarms started blaring seconds before Aria jolted out of her sync tube, gasping. She ripped the tubes from her body with a shaking hand, trying to convince her body to work. Feeling one body die had been a little more traumatic than she'd thought it would be. As soon as she had time she would probably have a meltdown; time being the key word. The force field would hold the General and the other Drivers in their alternate bodies for a while but not forever. She had to escape before they returned.

On unsteady legs, the blonde fled the sync room before any scientist could arrive to investigate the alarm. The halls and stairs were surprisingly empty, allowing her to run uninhibited. Good thing too, since she couldn't run straight. Her mind was still struggling to comprehend that she was in fact alive. Fumbling with her transmitter, she sent Caelum an emergency beep, including a tracer so he could find and reach her as she arrived at the hanger bay.

"Halt!" the guard shouted, stopping her outside the bay. "No one is allowed entrance to the hanger per the General's orders." Hearing Caelum arrive behind her, Aria forced herself to forget her body's condition and waved her hand, hoping this trick worked.

"The General gave me special permission to enter whenever I want," she said, using the Force to implant the idea. "Why don't you override the security protocols and let us both through?"

For a long moment the hall was silent and Aria wondered if it would work. Then the guard smiled and backed up. "Oh yeah, you're the one the General gave special permission to, to enter whenever you want. I'll just override the security settings and let you both through." Muffling her sigh of relief, Aria patiently waited for the door to open before dashing through, subtly using the Force to pull Caelum along. To his credit, he didn't make a sound until they were out of the guard's hearing.

"What's going on?" he finally asked as the blonde stopped beside a small two-man shuttle. At first she didn't answer, quickly slinging him over her shoulder and somehow hoisting him into the back of the small cockpit with only one good arm. For a few seconds she struggled with the wheelchair before it folded up and she could store it. Once the chair was secure she pulled herself into the pilot seat and quickly set about prepping the ship for flight.

"M'ren is dead," she finally replied shortly, trying to remember how the Earth shuttles worked. It was just similar enough to the Jedi starfighters to trip her up. "I killed him." Having only one whole arm certainly wasn't helping matters any but it also wasn't hindering her, thank the Force. She was accustomed to functioning with the handicap. "The General sort of saw the whole thing so now I need to get out of here before he ends his sync." A horrible thought entered her mind and she paused her preparations, looking back to her friend. "I-assumed you would want to come along but if you'd rather stay-."

With amazing calm, Caelum reached forward and smacked Aria gently across the back of the head. "Of course I'm coming," he gently scolded, smiling nonetheless. Nice to know she wouldn't force him to come. "I told you, I'm on your side instead of the General's. So let's get going."

Smiling, Aria turned back to her preparations and minutes later they were flying free. The shuttle was incapable of escaping into space, leaving Earth as their only possible destination. The blonde knew life wouldn't be easy for them from that point on. The General would be after them as soon as he managed to escape his Palpatine body, having the entire military might at his disposal. No doubt the royal family would support him as well, making her and Caelum into outcasts. They would have to ditch the shuttle the moment they landed and put some distance between themselves and the vehicle as quickly as possible. Some of her former contacts might be willing to hid them for a short time while she made a more permanent plan but they'd have to keep moving because the Sith were likely going to come after her as well.

Despite all that was against them, the blonde was hopeful as she piloted the shuttle towards Earth. She was making a choice, making a stand, and though the situation was far from ideal she had no regrets. Better to die free then to live as a slave. Although she did look out into the vastness of space and smiled for a second before entering Earth's atmosphere. All she had to do was survive for a short time. That was her only task.

After all, Obi-wan would come for her. He'd promised.

* * *

_Babble time: And that, as they say, is that. Just the epilogue to go, which will be up tomorrow. Already got the sequel planned out (actually, this story is going to become a trilogy) and have started writing it so next story should come out…soonish. I make no promises as I am a college student and am lucky to find time to write at all. Review response time!_

_Jedi Master Misty Sman-Esay: She is pretty sneaky, isn't she? Rest at ease, M'ren does not use it against her, as you can see. And also as you can see, she doesn't tell the Jedi how to get to Earth. Just about it._

_Until tomorrow then._

_Thanks for reading! TTFN!_


	7. The end of my Beginning

_Epilogue_

_The end of my Beginning_

The whistle finally blew, signaling the end of the work day. All around the factory the workers stopped what they were doing to stretch and groan in relief. Up on the catwalk, the security guards were no exception. Even the former soldiers were glad the long day was over. As a group, the guards wandered down the walkway, joking and laughing. Checking out at the front gate and welcoming their relief as they passed by, most of the guards headed down the mountain to the nearby town, intent on relaxing until their next shift.

One guard, however, did not head down the trail. Instead, she waved goodbye to her friends and went further up the mountain, following a nearly invisible path through the vegetation. Eventually, the guard reached a clearing in the forest that held a small cottage. Pausing on the edge of the clearing, the guard looked around and smiled wryly. "This is so cliché," the guard chuckled, shaking her head before making her way to the cottage. Entering quietly, she took a deep breath and relished the feel of coming home. "I'm back!" she called, kicking her boots off by the door.

"Aria! Welcome home!" Caelum replied, wheeling into the main room. He beamed at her, looking far happier than she had ever seen him on the moon. Although the same could arguably be said for her. They were hiding and sort of on the run still, but they had learned to be happy with life anyway. Her old Jedi teachers would never believe it. "How was your day at the factory?"

"Pretty boring," the blonde answered, shrugging out of her coat and hanging it on the peg by the door. "Geophry challenged me to a fight again. He has yet to figure out that having only one whole arm is not a handicap." Well, to be fair, it would be a handicap to most people. Just not to ex-soldier, ex-Jedi people. "After a three minute fight he withdrew his challenge again and we moved on with our shift."

"Three minute?" Caelum chuckled, wheeling back into the kitchen. "He's improving. Didn't you beat him in ten seconds the first time you two fought?"

"Seven seconds," she corrected, settling on her meditation mat. "The second fight was ten seconds." Seeing what she was doing, Caelum just hummed in reply as he finished making dinner. He always tried not to disturb her when she mediated. It was all she had left of the Jedi Order.

The last three years had been far from easy for either of them. Escaping the moon had actually been the simple part. After they had landed they had spent eighteen months going from place to place, trying to stay one step ahead of the army and the Sith. Several times they had only survived because Aria had used the Force in some way. Then one day, they'd come across the clearing and the cottage already built within it. Just being near the area gave Aria a splitting headache, nearly one of migraine proportions. After some investigation she discovered the entire area was a meteor crated, and something in the rocks affected the flow of the Force. After a lot of arguments, they had decided to move in to the abandoned cottage. Despite the pain the blonde was suffering, it was the safest place on Earth for them. Sith would not approach the clearing because they suffered as Aria did while the military assumed that the blonde would not willing suffer or that Caelum would not allow her to suffer. Obviously they were wrong, though Caelum was far from happy about the blonde being in constant pain for their safety. Now that another eighteen months had gone by, Aria was rather used to the migraine. Hardly anyone could even tell that she was in pain anymore. Not even her co-workers at the factory.

It had only taken a week from the time the duo had moved in to the cottage for the factory owner to hire Aria as a security guard. It had then taken less than a week for everyone at the factory to learn to respect her abilities. As a Jedi she was certainly more pacifistic than she used to be but she was still not afraid to fight someone.

As imperfect and un-idyllic as their situation was, it was their life. They'd learned to accept it. But recently, Aria had become twitchy. She was restless, constantly flinching at sudden noises and often staring into the sky. So far she hadn't divulged the reason to Caelum and he was trying to hold his tongue but it was hard. Yet again he was being forced to watch his friend suffer alone and he was quickly approaching his limit. The blonde was now meditating nearly constantly, trying to keep herself focused. It seemed to be failing.

"Aria, dinner's ready," Caelum called, placing the final plate on the table. The blonde stood smoothly, seeming to be as calm and collected as she used to be. Caelum knew differently, but chose to hold his silence one night longer. Aria was to tired to confront just then. Of course, she was always tired anymore.

The friends ate dinner in a comfortable silence, despite all the unspoken issues that surrounded them both. The sun had set long ago but the cottage remained brightly lit, warding off any negative mindsets. Aria had redesigned the cottage interior so that it could be easily lit for just this reason. She had had issues with darkness ever since M'ren had first attacked her and had tried to remain in lit spaces ever since. At the temple that wasn't difficult but on Earth before they'd found the cottage she had had to except darkness on occasion. She would not accept it within her home. Since it kept the house warm and bright, Caelum didn't mind. It was just one of her quirks that he had learned to accept and embrace. Not much else he could do.

"I spoke with Mr. Barnes today," Aria suddenly said as she gathered the dirty dishes and carried them to the sink. "You remember him, right? He owns the factory and brought that electric wheelchair for you?"

"I remember," Caelum replied, watching her work. He could cook easily but it was hard to wash dishes from a wheelchair, making the clean up fall on Aria's shoulders at every meal. However, since the blonde couldn't cook to save her life they had built an easy partnership during meal times. "He's also the man trying to date you." And not making much process, he had to admit.

"That's the one," Aria laughed, smiling for a brief moment. It died rather quickly though. "Anyway, I asked him to make sure you were cared for, if anything should happen to me." A cold feeling of dread washed over the doctor. "Just thought you should know-."

"Whoa, whoa, back up," Caelum interupted, panicking slightly. She wasn't saying what he thought she was saying, right? "What are you talking about? What could happen to you?"

For a while Aria was silent, continuing her task of washing the dishes. Caelum waited her out, somehow knowing she wasn't refusing to answer. She just wasn't sure _how _to answer. It wasn't until she had no more dishes that she sighed and faced her friend. "There's a disturbance in the Force," she admitted, cringing slighting at the cheesy term. "The entire crater has been reacting to it for the last couple weeks. A large group of Force users recently came to Earth. Some have landed and have been moving across the planet, probably looking for something."

"Or someone," Caelum finished, seeing where she was going. "You think they're looking for you."

"Not to sound conceited but I can't think of any other reason for a large group of Force users to sweep the planet," Aria chuckled, turning away from Caelum to put her cleaning supplies away. "Granted, I've been out of contact with any Force users for three years, so its possible they could be here for another reason entirely. I'm just trying to be careful for once."

Thus ended the conversation for the night. The constant wear of work, pain, and now the stress of the approaching Force users left Aria with little energy to use on any activity besides eating, sleeping, working, and meditating. It left a bitter taste in Caelum's mouth as he watched his friend crawl into bed, utterly exhausted, and knowing she would likely look no better when she woke up. Being bound to the wheelchair as he was, there was little the doctor could provide to maintain their livelihood. Aria was the one to earn the money, buy the supplies, clean the cottage, complete repairs, and many other menial tasks. The least he could do was let her rest when she needed to.

The next day though, Caelum was shocked when Aria pulled him into a hug. "Thanks for staying with me," she whispered before dashing out the door, heading towards the factory. It put a smile on the elderly man's face that persisted through the day-until there was a knock on the door. Cautiously, he opened the door and proceeded to nearly have a heart attack.

* * *

"Hey, Sky!" Aria glanced over her shoulder to watch Leon approach as they both headed towards the main gate. "You did good work today," he said with a smile. "That sabotager could have been a problem."

"Considering he yelled his intentions the second he stepped through the door I doubt he was intelligent enough to be a true threat," she dismissed, looking forward again. Leon was one of the many males that was trying to woo her and she didn't feel like putting up with his flattery just then. "Any of us could have taken him out. I just happened to be closest." Giving her pass to the guard at the gate, the blonde stopped to stretch. She would never admit it, but she missed her prosthetic arm. It had been a pain and a hassle at times, but after a while it had become a part of her. Besides, it held good memories too. All those days with Obi-wan as he helped her through rehab. All those nights with Adam, tinkering with the design to improve the function and form. Even after three years it hurt to remember what she had lost.

"Oh, by the way, I saw someone heading up to your place earlier," Leon said, not noticing when Aria stopped dead in her tracks. "Have you finally learned to make friends? Maybe they were-hey!"

Foregoing her usual self-imposed restrictions, the blonde raced up the mountain. She couldn't sense any Force users but that meant nothing this close to the crater. "Caelum," she breathed, running down the path. "Please be okay."

The clearing looked perfectly normal when she finally reached it. No smoking craters, no screams, no damage to the cabin. However, the flow of the Force was completely altered. The blonde couldn't determine where the Force users were exactly but she could tell they were close. Yet, despite knowing that, a part of her mind was relaxing. Despite all the danger, there was something familiar about this feeling. A crazy idea wormed into her mind as she slowly approached the cottage. Hardly daring to hope, she silently opened the door and slid inside. Everything was just as still and quiet as the outside had been until-

"Anakin!" A Twi'lek dashed around the corner, grin splitting his face. "You're here!" Before Aria could fully comprehend what was happening, she was pulled into an enthusiastic hug. "We've been looking everywhere for you!" the Twi'lek yelled, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around, joy and excitement rushing through the Force. Then he arms tightened, becoming more desperate. "I thought-I was beginning to think-we've been looking for so long but we couldn't find you anywhere so I-I thought-."

Finally free of her shock, Aria wrapped her own arms around the Twi'lek, letting her joy and contentment envelope them both. "You found me, Adam. You win the game." Laughing, Adam released her, but still clasped her shoulder tightly like he was afraid to fully let go. For a moment he just looked her over, smiling the entire time.

"You look just like him," he said in wonder, joy still bubbling in his voice so that she couldn't take offense at the phrasing. "I mean, except for being a girl and all." He laughed at her scowl, sounding so joyous she couldn't maintain her irritation and wound up smiling as well. His laughter did die when he saw her missing arm though, being replaced by a frown of displeasure. Considering he was used to Anakin's injury she couldn't assume that Caelum had told him about how she-

"Caelum!" Aria yelled, suddenly panicking again. Despite Adam's presence, she still felt fear for her friend. She had always worried that something would happen to him while she was gone and having Force users nearby had only increased her anxiety. Simply knowing that the Force users were Jedi wasn't enough to wipe away her fear. However, the fear did fade away when she saw the scientist smiling at her from the kitchen, sharing tea with Master Bant who was watching her with a smile.

"I was wondering when you were going to remember me," Caelum teased, wheeling into the main room while Master Bant followed serenely. "You're friends were just telling me about some of your adventures as a Jedi. Something about a gundark nest?" All three laughed at the face she pulled at the memory. That was an adventure she would rather forget.

Despite her joy at seeing the Jedi, Aria knew that the situation was still serious and needed to be addressed. Caelum noticed when she become deadly serious and followed suit, the Jedi being slightly slower. "Not that I'm not happy to see you both," the blonde said, a tiny smile evident despite her seriousness, "but why are you here? Earth is just about as far from Coruscant as it can be and is a Sith world to boot. You're in danger here."

"As are you," Master Bant countered, gaze level and calm. "In truth, your danger is greater. The Sith are not looking for us." That was true and Aria conceded the point with a nod. "As for why we are here, we came for you of course. " She smiled kindly at the blonde's surprise. "After everything you did for the Order, did you think we would just leave you to your fate? Jedi never abandon one of our own. You should know this."

"I'm not a Jedi though," Aria instantly retorted, eyes tight. Regret and anger burned in her words, surprising the Jedi. They hadn't considered that she would think this way. " I _was _a soldier pretending to be a Jedi but I'm not even that anymore. I'm just a stubborn, crippled, hunted traitor that happens to know a few good Force tricks."

Silence fell over the cottage as her words sunk in to the others. The blonde just stood there in the middle, eyes cast down as she trembled lightly, fighting with her tears. Then, "There is no emotion; there is peace," Adam said quietly, tilting Aria's face so that she was looking at him instead of the floor. "There is no ignorance; there is knowledge. There is not passion; there is serenity. There is no death; there is the Force. So says the Jedi code, the code that every Jedi has strived to live by. You know this as well as I do. How can you say that you are not a Jedi?"

"No one is born a Jedi, Anakin," Master Bant continued, eyes earnest as they met confused blue orbs. "All learn how to be one. Usually, they must learn young but sometimes an older being will be strong enough and determined enough to commit fully to the Code, the Order, and the Jedi way of life. Their age does not make them less of a Jedi."

"Don't forget our time on the moon," Caelum added, grabbing Aria's hand and giving it a squeeze. "The General forbid any Jedi customs from being practiced outside of the sync and every other Jedi Driver obeyed without question or complaint. You did not. No matter how difficult, you made sure to find isolated locations to meditate, to clear your mind, to release your emotions. From the moment you learned of the Code you tried to live it, no matter which body you inhabited. On the moon, you showed everyone what the Jedi were truly like, not just how the General wanted to portray them."

Adam caught her attention again, speaking firmly in an attempt to make her understand. "When you fought the Sith in the Senate tower, you did so with no emotion. No anger, no fear. You were at peace with your decision."

"You never accepted ignorance," Master Bant continued, speaking from the heart in a way she rarely did. "No matter how difficult the situation, or how damaging the knowledge, you were always searching for the truth."

"Even in moments high in tension and passion, you were always calm and serene," Caelum insisted, wondering how the blonde had missed what they could all see so clearly. "Many people envied your serenity because nothing could shake it. Even when you were angry at M'ren, there was a steadiness and solidness about you that could not be shaken."

"And you never feared death," Adam finished, urging her to understand. "You know what comes after this life and you don't fear it. Some _Masters_ still struggle with that. Do you hear us, Anakin? Are you beginning to understand what we are saying? You are a Jedi. No matter where you came from or what you were or how old you are, you are now a Jedi. You _chose_ to be a Jedi and you've been a Jedi from the moment you made that choice. Even these last three years haven't driven you away from living the Code. I will say it every day for the rest of our lives if I must. You. Are. A. Jedi."

"Aria, you've always wanted to return to the Jedi," Caelum softly whispered, catching her attention better than a yell ever would. "Don't let fear stop you. Remember what Yoda said to you so long ago; what you've tried to live by for all these years. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering. If you let fear stop you now you will never forgive yourself. You will become bitter and angry until you become the very thing you've been fighting."

"I'll never forgive myself for leaving you here, either," she answered just as quietly, finally losing the battle against her tears. It felt like she was being torn in two, forced to choose between the friend she loved more than life and the life she craved more than anything in the world. An impossible decision if there ever was one.

"Who said anything about leaving Caelum?" Adam asked, startling the two Earth bound humans out of their staring contest. "We're here for both of you." When they continued to stare he chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Uh, did we not make that clear? After hearing about everything you two have gone through together we contacted the Council to ask if Caelum could be brought to the temple as well and they gave their permission." It took a moment for his words to sink in but once they had he found himself with his arms full of exuberant blonde, laughing in joyous relief. He met the doctor's eyes for a moment and clearly saw the gratitude within them, smiling in return.

Then Aria suddenly stiffened and jerked back. "You called the Council?" she asked in a strangled voice. "When did you do that?" Hearing her words, Caelum suddenly went deathly pale, causing both Jedi to worry.

"While Caelum was making the tea," Master Bant answered, feeling the fear creep into the room. "Why? What is wrong?" Rather then answer Aria dashed off with a slight yelp, leaving the Jedi alone with Caelum.

"The Sith have a network surrounding the planet, designed to catch any transmissions from Earth," he explained nervously, glancing towards the door. "That's why Aria never tried to contact the Order. No doubt the Sith and/or the military are on their way here now." Aria reappeared, two bags thrown over her shoulder. It contained the few items that she and Caelum were slightly attached to and wouldn't want to leave behind.

Completely at odds with the situation, the blondes smiled at the Jedi and they suddenly saw Anakin in her, looking no different than he had been the last time they had seen his face. "We were probably going to come with you anyway, but would you mind if we hurried a little?"

"Let's run," Adam replied, unable to do anything other than smile back. Quietly, Master Bant picked up Caelum with the Force, holding him easily while Adam figured out how to collapse the electric wheelchair and sling it across his back. Moving quickly, the small group dashed out of the cottage and into the surrounding forest. They moved in silence for a while, trying to gain as much distance as possible, until a muffled explosion behind them made them turn around. A large pillar of smoke was drifting into the sky, marking the end of the cottage.

"Where did you land?" the blonde asked, wondering how far they had to travel. Not knowing actual landmarks or names, Adam pointed towards the peak of the mountain adjacent the one they were on. "Follow me then." She knew the forest like the back of her hand which meant knowing all the shortcuts. If she had been with anyone else she'd be worried about them keeping up with her but Jedi were usually pretty physically fit. The rough terrain wouldn't be to much of a hindrance.

Nearly an hour later, and one or two close calls, the small party reached the Jedi's shuttle. Army trackers were on their heels, making everyone scramble. "Hope you don't get air-sick," Adam joked to Caelum, helping strap the scientist in before taking his own seat. Master Bant joined Caelum in the rear of the shuttle while Aria quickly started the ship and they were soon airborne. "I see you haven't lost your flying skills," the Twi'lek said, carefully watching the sensors. He didn't want any Sith to drop in unannounced.

"Those skills came from my time as a soldier, long before the Jedi," the blonde answered, carefully maneuvering through the towering mountain peaks. There was a weak spot in the Sith security grid that she knew about, relatively close to their position. It was the best spot to escape from. "Now hold on, this is going to get bumpy." Sure enough, a few seconds later they were passing through the atmosphere and the ship shook violently. Adam grinned when he heard Caelum cussing from the rear. Seemed Aria's best friend and her Master had something in common.

"We need to work on your definition of bumpy," the scientist complained after they'd made it through the final layer of atmosphere. Chuckling, Aria just nodded, concentrating slightly more on her piloting. Despite all her efforts, she'd never managed to figure out how many Sith ships were in orbit around Earth. Their trip would end very quickly if the Sith spotted her before the Jedi.

"What's the plan, Adam?" she asked, glancing at the controls. "Are we returning to Coruscant like this?" If he said yes she was going to have some serious words with him. The shuttle wasn't designed for long-range flights.

"Nope, we're hitching a ride with them," the Twi'lek answered, pointing out a ship that was barely visible and beyond their sensors. "The _Radiant Hope_, the Order's fastest ship. We were sent out the moment the Council discovered the location of Earth. Still took nine days in hyperspace though. You live pretty far off the grid."

"I do believe I mentioned that to the Council just before I died," the blonde retorted, angling the shuttle to rendevous with the waiting vessel. She had to admit, it did look Sith in design, no doubt a camoflauge technique. Or possibly, "Was the _Radiant Hope_ captured from the Sith, perchance?"

"It was," Master Bant answered, sounding slightly surprised. "How could you tell?"

"Lucky guess." The shuttle's systems suddenly lit up as they entered the _Radiant Hope_'s range. A quick welcome message flashed across the screen before landing instructions were given. "Alright, we're going in. Caelum, please refrain from barfing."

"I make no promises," came the weak reply. Sighing, the blonde could only shake her head as she came in on approach. For a moment she wondered if she remembered how to land but then muscle memory took over and they swooped into the hangar bay for a graceful landing. "Is it over yet?"

"Yes its over," Aria said, quickly getting up and joining her friend. The Jedi gave them their space as she unhooked the man and carefully manuevered him into the unfolded wheelchair. After giving the scientist a chance to catch his breath, the party disembarked, quickly greeted by smiles and cheers. Startled, the blonde stepped back uncertainly, looking around. "What are they cheering about?"

"We're cheering because we found you," came a voice to her right. Looking over, the blonde was greeted with the smiling face of Cody. "It's good to see you again, Commander Skywalker." The clone then grunted in surprise as Aria suddenly tackled him in a hug. It didn't take long for him to respond though, hugging her back. After a moment they broke apart and Aria accompanied the others as they left the hangar, returning and smiles or waves that were sent her way.

The halls were quieter, thankfully, and the group could move unhindered. Master Bant eventually broke away, stating that she had to report the success of their mission to the Council. Bidding her farewell, the others continued a short distance until they reached the temporary quarters assigned to Aria and Caelum. "This is your new home," Adam said, opening the door with a code. "These rooms are secured so that only those with the code can enter. Now that they are yours you can choose a new code as you wish." Nodding in understanding, Aria made to move by when she was stopped by a gentle hand. Surprised, she looked up at her friend to see him smile. "There's someone on board who is very anxious to see you again. He wanted to go to the planet but the Council decided it was to dangerous. Instead he has spend most of his time in the meditation room, third floor. Maybe you should go check it out." Knowing exactly what he was saying, the blonde smiled and nodded. Giving a nod in return, the Twi'lek released her so she could enter, instead talking to Caelum for a minute as she moved inside the rooms. Quickly setting to storing their belongings, Aria barely noticed when her friend wheeled into the room and over to the window on the far wall. Her quiet thoughts were interupted, though, when he spoke.

"Aria?"

"Yes, Caelum?"

"Do you remember that time when you tried to describe the Republic spacecraft to me and I didn't believe how big you said they were?"

"Yes, I remember. Why?"

"I'd like to retract my disbelief now."

"Whatever you say," Aria chuckled, stowing the last of the belonging beneath the bed. Caelum had been super excited since he'd laid eyes on the Jedi's shuttle but now he was like a kid in a candy shop. No doubt he would soon be seeking out an engineer to barrage with questions about the ship. He'd already tried to ask her but had quickly learned that she could only tell him how to fly the thing.

Nevertheless, she was glad to be on board the ship at last. For the first time in three years she could truly relax without fear of dying. There was no reason to be suspicious of everyone she met, she no longer had to look over her shoulder. The few Jedi she'd seen on the ship in the short walk from the hanger to their temporary quarters had greeted her warmly, proving what Adam and Master Bant had said. Maybe best of all, her migraine had vanished as soon as she'd gotten beyond the reach of the crater. She'd almost forgotten what it was like to be pain free. Actually, that wasn't the best part. The best was yet to come.

"Caelum, will you be alright on your own for a while?" she asked as she changed clothes. She'd never though she'd miss tunics and leggings so much! Although she did miss her black tunic. Off-white and tan just did not look good on her. "I have some errands/meetings to attend to."

"Go, go," Caelum chuckled, even as he rolled over to pin up the sleeve on her missing arm. "Your friend Adam said he'd come give me a tour of the ship after he grabbed some things from his quarters. We'll be fine on our own so you go enjoy yourself." Finishing the sleeve, the doctor smiled up at the blonde, hoping she could understand what he was about to tell her. "You've come so far since I first met you, and I'm so proud of you. Even if I was a little afraid of you when you were de-aged without your knowledge." They both laughed at the memory. She'd been so angry and lost back then. Actually, come to think of it, she still had that stress ball she'd been given. "I just wanted to thank you for taking care of me these last few years, despite my useless state."

"Useless?" Aria echoed, genuinely surprised. "You've never been useless, Caelum. Sure, you're physically restricted but I didn't need a physically fit companion. I needed someone who would understand when I needed to rant and when I needed to be quiet. Someone who wouldn't demand anything from me; someone who wouldn't judge. I needed a friend." Clasping Caelum's shoulder, Aria let the Jedi control that she'd maintained since her escape from the moon drop so that her full gratitude and love could be seen. "When I lost the Jedi, I felt like I had lost everything. Except for you. I couldn't give up on life because I still had you." Pulling the stunned scientist into a hug, she clutched him tight. "I know it might look like I was the provider in our relationship but I'm alive today because of you. Never doubt that." She pretended to not notice as Caelum cried onto her shoulder. He gave her the same courtesy.

After a few minutes they released each other, silently understanding that this moment would never be repeated. As a Jedi, Aria would not be able to be this connected to a person ever again. They would drift apart as she learned to let go of him, but their friendship and gratitude would never disappear. They would never speak of it, but it would be there.

Leaving their quarters, Aria waved at Adam as he passed by. He smiled back, knowing where she was going. The hall was mostly empty, allowing the blonde to think as she walked. The ship had jumped to hyperspace some time ago, allowing her to watch the streaking stars go by as they hurled through space. Still, it would be a few days before they reached Coruscant. Earth was certainly the farthest and Jedi had ever traveled into space. Honestly, Aria was surprised the Order had sent such a fast ship to rescue her. Master Bant had mentioned that no Jedi had wanted to waste time once the location of Earth had been discovered but the blonde still had trouble believing that the Order cared about her in particular that much. Although she did admit that she had been wrong before.

The mediation room was mostly empty, just as she knew it would be. There was only one Jedi within; a male that turned to face her as she entered. For a long moment they stared at each other, fear and awkwardness bleeding away as they realized that nothing had changed between them. There was no need for words because they still understood each other perfectly. Then the Jedi smiled, finally relaxing for the first time in three years. "Welcome back, Anakin."

"It's good to be back, Master Obi-wan."

* * *

_Babble time: The end has come. Well, the end of this story at least. No clue when the sequel will be up so let's all just wait and see. Thank you all for reading Avatar Jedi; I hope you enjoyed it. Any comments, criticism, and critiques will be welcomed. Review response!_

_Jedi Master Misty Sman-Esay: I don't think Obi-wan was surprised, per se. He could feel that Aria and Anakin were the same so he wasn't to bothered. And she would never leave Caelum. She loves the man._

_Thank you for reading! Goodbye!_


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